


Borrowed Time: Saving John Lennon

by JJdec8



Category: John Lennon - Fandom, The Beatles
Genre: George Harrison - Freeform, Ringo Starr - Freeform, Time Travel, paul mccartney - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 08:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 77,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11825343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JJdec8/pseuds/JJdec8
Summary: Holly DuPont spent the majority of her life wondering what things would be like if John Lennon had not died on that fateful night in December of 1980. As an adult working for the CIA, she suddenly finds herself involved in a secret project in which her lifelong wonderings become plausible. Should Holly risk her career, and more importantly her life, to travel back in time and prevent John's death? With the help of her friend and co-worker, Holly jumps back through time, placing herself in key points of John and the Beatles' lives, with the ultimate goal of having John Lennon live to see December 9, 1980 and beyond.





	1. THE END

 

December 8, 1980

Holly stood in the crowd, as she had been for the past hour, trying to blend in with the handful of fans that were outside of the Dakota. She cupped her hands over her mouth and breathed out, slowly trying to warm her fingers. Glancing at her watch, and then up, Holly peered at one particular person for no longer than a second, and then looked back down at her watch. She could practically taste her own heartbeat, it was so strong in her chest.

Over the past hour she had idly chatted with a couple of people, trying not to say more than a few words. People seemed excited, hoping to catch a glimpse or get an autograph. A few held on to copies of the new album and some conversations contained words like "comeback," "Beatles" and "favorite song." In the back of her mind Holly kept thinking about how just a few hours earlier, and a few hundred miles away, she herself was being born. She shook her head and pushed the thought away, yet again. It was too surreal to wrap her head around.

"Any minute now," she thought to herself.

Wandering a few yards away from the entrance, Holly attempted to distance herself from where most people were standing. She knew she needed to be out of the way and utterly inconspicuous when it happened. The limo pulled up to the curb right on time. There was what seemed to be a pause. The door opened a few inches and immediately closed again.

"Come on, come on," Holly whispered under her breath. "We went over this. No changing shit!"

Finally, after a good 60 seconds, which seemed like an eternity, the limo door opened again. Yoko stepped out first. She quickly glanced side to side and made room for John to step out of the limo. Holly watched Yoko look directly into John's eyes, and then she turned and made her way towards the alcove of the Dakota's entrance

John lingered a bit behind Yoko, as the fans and commotion were wont to make him. Holly could tell he was trying to look for her without making it obvious. She had the overwhelming urge to shout his name, but stopped herself.

It was only six hours earlier that she sat with him and had their most recent conversation; gone over the minutiae of the final plan. Yoko had continued to make it abundantly clear that she did not think any of this was necessary. Thankfully, John was able to brush off Yoko's disapproval and was still on board with things.

Even though Holly was a good distance from John she could still see that he was hesitant; a bit stiff. This man, who she had technically only met a few months ago, was trying his best to follow her plan - a plan created by a girl he had known over half his life.

Holly could see that he was nervous. John's eyes darted around as he stepped from the vehicle. His steps were small, almost timid as he approached and walked past the small crowd of fans. Doubtful that anyone other than her noticed, Holly still worried that any change to the timeline could cause unwanted repercussions.

"You got this," Holly whispered, as she blinked her eyes slowly and apprehensively.

The initial sound was louder than she had anticipated, yet the sounds that followed were somehow softer. Holly opened her eyes wide after the first shot rang out, and the screams began. She saw John's body stagger under the momentum of being hit, and she gasped involuntarily. She stifled the urge to run towards the chaos; to run to John. She couldn't risk being seen, being stopped, and most importantly being questioned by the police when they arrived.

The sound of yelling, feet scuffling on pavement, and cries were all Holly could hear. Leaning forward, she tried to get one last look into the alcove, but John was no longer within her view. She could only see the throng of people now surrounding the shooter. Holly knew she had to leave because the cops would be there momentarily. She would have to wait to find out if all her months of planning had been worth it.

As various people were making their way towards the Dakota in response to the gunshots and commotion, Holly had made it even farther down the block towards the Olcott hotel where she had rented a room for the past week. She needed to know that John was still alive. The TV and radio would be her best bet for information at this point.


	2. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE

August 5, 2020

"Thank you all for being here," Agent Thomas Brady began. 

As people were getting comfortable in their chairs Holly DuPont scrolled through the screen in front of her, briefly looking around at the eleven other faces in the room. 

"Before we begin, are we all aware that this will be the ultimate and final group meeting regarding Project 1403-C?"

A few nods and some mumbles of affirmation were the answers that followed. Holly couldn't help but roll her eyes a little. Over the past six months she had sat through no less than forty meetings for this particular project, and the past two meetings were each supposed to have been the "last" one. 

"Okay, well lets start with the easiest bit - Agent DuPont, how are you feeling?"

"Quite well. Nothing unusual or out of the ordinary to report," Holly answered, almost by rote at this point. The vast amount of immune boosting supplements she had been taking for the past thirty days must be doing their job. 

"Very good," replied Brady. "Thomas, where are we in terms of machinery?"

Holly looked diagonally across the meeting table, towards the dark features of Agent Samuel Thomas. She had known him probably a full decade at this point but he looked almost exactly the same as the day she was introduced to him. 

Agent Thomas didn't look up from the device in his hands as his lips moved. "Everything is a go from my standpoint. The most recent diagnostics were run this morning." He finally glanced up, his eyes catching Holly's before looking towards Agent Brady, "Everything is in top working order and the most recent practice run was a complete success, just like the previous runs. Agent Monroe was in charge of that and has the report." He glanced to his right and Agent Lisa Monroe nodded in agreement. 

"Perfect," responded Brady as he picked up his own tablet from the desk and paused for a moment while reading the screen. "Do we have a final, consolidated list of items to be brought along?" he asked, angling his chin upwards and in the direction of the man directly to Holly's left. 

"There is always the possibility of a last minute omission, but this list should contain everything. After I get the final approval today, nothing can or will be added to the list. Only taken off."

Holly turned her head to the left and glanced down at the screen being held by Agent Tyler Christophe. She watched his thumb scroll up and down, not really seeing the words as they passed. It almost seemed like he was intentionally avoiding her gaze, and for a brief second, Holly felt a jolt of guilt. Tyler had become a good friend of hers over the past five years and she knew he was risking a lot to help her accomplish their secret plan. 

She and Tyler had entered the Agency at the same time, nearly twenty years ago, as young, fresh faces. It's always a bit competitive at first, wanting to get your foot in the door and make all the right connections. Holly and Tyler had bumped shoulders many a time, struggling to out-do the other on their way up the ladder. But as they each found their niche, the competition waned and a friendship formed.

Agent Christophe placed his tablet on the desk and lifted a small stack of papers, standing them upright and clinking them a few times against the table to force them together. "I brought copies of the current list," he said, nodding towards the papers in his hands, "in case anyone wanted a physical copy." 

Tyler turned and finally made eye contact with Holly, giving her a quick smile. Breathing a silent sigh of relief, Holly pushed aside her worry and guilt. 

The rest of the meeting went quite similarly; Agent Brady asked questions and the answers came, one by one, from the men and women situated around the table. Agent Lisa Monroe, ended the meeting by asking Holly to stop by her office later in the afternoon for a final briefing in regards to the machinery. 

"Let me know before you head over," stated Agent Brady to Holly. "I want to join you for that final briefing." And with that, the meeting was adjourned. 

A couple of hours later, Holly knocked on Agent Brady's office door. 

"Come in."

She turned the knob and pushed the door open enough to only pop her head into the room. 

"You wanted me to stop by before heading to see Monroe?" 

"Ah, DuPont. Yes, thank you. Come in and have a seat. I'm finishing up a quick report," Agent Brady said, as his fingers danced over the keyboard. "Sit for a moment and we'll walk over together."

Holly sat on the small leather couch against the wall of Agent Brady's office. She could never quite pinpoint what it was about Brady that left such a sour taste in her mouth, but she was always somewhat on edge around him. This underlying uneasiness had intensified as the project's date loomed nearer, although Holly would never let it show. 

A few silent minutes passed, peppered with the sound of fingers on keys, and then Agent Brady stood up. "Off we go," he said, walking around from behind his desk. 

Agent Monroe's office door was already open when they arrived. This was not unusual as Lisa Monroe was never one to pass up a conversation. Perhaps keeping the door open was her way of inviting in any passers by that might want to gossip. 

"Ah, there you are," Lisa proclaimed with a smile. She stood up and quickly pulled her blonde hair into a messy bun as the pair walked into the office. Lisa extended her hand, first to Agent Brady, and then to Holly. "We won't be in here long. I just want to print out something first. Then we'll head over into the lab."

With papers in hand, Holly and Agent Brady followed Lisa into the lab, where schematics and machinery covered almost every surface. 

"Thanks for stopping by, DuPont. I know you have a lot on your plate currently."

"Not a problem at all. I'm just here to help make this project as successful as possible," Holly answered. 

_This Project_. It had an official name, but Holly rarely called it anything other than _This Project_. Although it took her awhile to understand why, she came to realize that if she called it anything else it would make it too real. _Time travel. Project Back to the Future. Project Try-Not-to-Die-While-Testing-Out-New-Scientific-Concepts-and-Perhaps-a-Bit-More_. 

Everything about it was unreal. Time travel was something out of science fiction, not real life. But not anymore. Project 1403-C was on the books to take place in less than 5 days; August 10, 2020 at 16:00. 

Holly had been working in some form of Government position for most of her life. The CIA had become a natural progression. Science had not been something she excelled in during her younger years, but somehow over the years of working her way around the Agency, she managed to finagle her way into some pretty elite situations involving the subject. This project was certainly the most impressive. 

The project had been in conception for years, decades even; long before Holly even knew time travel was a legitimate thing. Were it not for her close friendship with Tyler, Holly would likely still not know about the possibility of time travel. 

Tyler had been working with the specialized team for the past decade, although he was not a part of the first time portal discovery. In the past two years, thanks in part to machinery that Tyler had personally helped build, the first working time machine was created. At that point, Holly was working in a completely different sector of the Agency.

At first she had been completely oblivious to what she was being brought into. Holly knew better than to ask questions. Information was given out on a need-to-know basis, and never a moment before. When first brought into the project, Holly assumed she was balancing out the gender ratio. Little did she know that she was lining up to become the guinea pig of all guinea pigs, and her life would be altered forever because of it.


	3. DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET

Three months earlier.  
May 3, 2020 

Holly looked up from the book that was splayed open on the table in front of her. She rubbed her eyes, forcing them to focus far in front of her. She sat at the kitchen table in the house that she grew up in. Having been given an extended vacation prior to the mission, Holly was enjoying the extra time with her family, although you wouldn't know it with the amount of time she spent agonizing over books. Her mother had given up chastising her and was now simply bringing her mugs of tea or coffee and the occasional snack while she buried her face in book after book. 

_This Project_ had been given a projected "go ahead" date which now was less than three months away. As Holly sat in her parents kitchen she thought back to the moment she found out about the project. 

Holly had spent the first few months of her involvement completely oblivious to what she was being brought into. Just one year ago she received a simple email stating that her position was being changed, and she would from then on be reporting to a new location. New building, new supervisor, new project all together. 

When Holly first reported to meet Agent Thomas Brady, she had exactly zero idea why. It was only after many, many meetings that her true initiative was revealed. She was to be the Agency's first long-term human tester of the machine simply labeled T14-R19. Even though sixteen other machines preceded it, T14-R19 was the first and only machine to do exactly what it was built to do - project items through the time continuum into a previously specified date and location. 

While Holly was not around for the fledgling run throughs, with items as small as atoms being shot only a few seconds back in time, she soon learned all the details of these initial tests. Larger items and longer amounts of time were gradually introduced, until ultimately live lab rats were being sent back as far as medieval times. And all items came back, intact and unharmed. Of course there was the pesky isolation and decontamination phase that came before and after each and every shot back in time. Germs and bacteria present back then couldn't be introduced into the present time, and vice versa. After lab rats came larger mammals, then chimpanzees and finally a human. Holly wasn't given information regarding the only other person, besides soon-to-be-her, that was projected back across time and space, but it was apparently a series of successful runs, each only lasting only a few minutes. 

It was only after learning the grand scope of her role in the project that Holly began to daydream about the possibilities available to her. At first she pushed aside all these thoughts. She had spent the entirety of her adult life working with integrity and valor. A job in the CIA did not come falling into her lap. The vast amount of testing, both physically and psychologically, were meant to weed out those with ulterior motives or weak dispositions. The mere fact that she was letting personal daydreams mingle with her work was grounds enough to be given a psychological evaluation. 

Holly spent weeks, months, shoving aside her personal wonderings every time they popped up. Then, one day, she slipped. It was an unusually warm afternoon in March of that year, and Holly and Tyler had been having a drink on the back patio at Tyler's house. Tyler's husband was on a conference call inside, and their two kids were playing in the backyard. Before Holly could stop herself, the words were just spilling off her tongue. 

"Wouldn't it be amazing to go back and change something awful?" she blurted, immediately holding her hand up to her mouth in shock at the words she spoke out loud. "Not that I would, of course!" she immediately sputtered. 

Tyler held up the short glass, half filled with ice and whiskey, and gently rocked it in a circular motion. 

"Yeah I know. I think every person in the world probably has that thought at some point, right?" He took a swig from his glass. "Kill Hitler before he does anything, prevent 9/11 from ever happening, I'm sure the list could go on for days."

Holly's jaw dropped open in shock as Tyler spoke. He was so nonchalant about it. Almost dismissive. He turned to look at Holly and began to chuckle when he saw her expression. 

"Why do you look like you've just seen a ghost?" Tyler asked with a tone of amused confusion. 

"I... It's just... Well... I guess I figured this kind of conversation would be grounds for getting kicked out of the project." Holly was stammering as she ran her hand through her shoulder length brown hair. 

Tyler gave her a half smile as his head tilted to one side. "Well don't go getting any crazy ideas. That subject has long been taken care of. There are plenty of precautions already in place to make sure no one goes and wipes out a piece of history." He brought his glass up to his mouth and paused, holding it there for a few seconds before finally taking a sip. 

Holly couldn't resist asking, "Precautions? How do you mean?"

"Well, I'm not 100% at liberty to disclose the ins and outs of it all, but let's just say that from the home base of the project, we are able to monitor any drastic changes to the current timeline."

It was Holly's turn to tilt her head. "Really!?" she proclaimed. "I honestly hadn't given this whole thing a ton of thought, but I have to admit I'm a bit surprised that's even a possibility. Although I really shouldn't be surprised by anything at this point."

Holly lifted her drink to her lips and took a long, slow sip. She truly hadn't allowed her mind to entertain these thoughts over the past few months, and now that she was, they were blasting through her head like rockets. 

Tyler leaned towards Holly, just the slightest bit. "I will confess though, I've been pushing the higher ups to entertain the idea of it from the start. Nothing major of course. Just a small change here or there. Just to see if it's truly possible and what ramifications there could be, if any at all."

That sentence rendered Holly temporarily speechless. With her glass still raised to her lips, she took another sip as her mind raced in many different directions. It was only Tyler's voice, now shouting, that brought her out of her thoughts. 

"Kaylee stop pulling the dog's fur and go swing with your brother!"

Tyler and his husband Mike had an utterly domestic lifestyle if you looked at it from the outside. Two working parents with two lovely children, and the perfectly landscaped house complete with a white picket fence - a home that suburban housewives dream of. Of course, all of this outward appearance came with the cost of employing everyone from nannies to housekeepers to landscapers, but it wasn't as if they couldn't afford it. 

"Anyway," Tyler continued, lowering his voice back to normal, "they didn't want anything to do with my ideas. Too worried about negative repercussions and whatnot. But they conveniently overlook the fact that we are changing the timeline. We have changed it, even just by sending a single atom backwards in time. We shoot you back a few years and, even if you only stand there for a second and come immediately back, the timeline is changed." He let out a frustrated sigh. This was obviously something that had been on his mind, with no real outlet until now. 

Mike's conference call inside the house went on far longer than anticipated, which allowed Holly and Tyler to continue their conversation for another hour, only interrupted by the occasional child wanting Daddy to "look at me" or asking for a drink of water. 

Early on, Tyler had grabbed both their cellphones, taking them inside and returning with a small speaker playing music from a local radio station. You don't get to be a CIA agent without being acutely aware of the prospect that every device you own is capable, and quite likely already programmed to record your every move and every word. 

In that hour, the fledgling plan began to form, much to Holly's sheer amazement. They both skirted around the all-too-real issue that, not only were they toying with possibly changing the timeline, they were also delving into realms that could land them, at best in jail, and at worst no longer existing on this planet.


	4. COME TOGETHER

April 4, 2020

It had been almost a month since their initial conversation on the back patio of Tyler's house. The day after that conversation, both came into work looking over their shoulder, albeit figuratively. They expected at any moment to be called into an office, or worse. But the day went by completely unremarkable, as did the next day, and the day after that. 

Once they realized they were in the clear, they decided to meet up again. Holly suggested a roller skating rink so Tyler's two kids could loop around the floor, and any conversation could be drowned out by the music playing from the overhead speakers.

They arrived separately, both walking into the building without phones or tablets. After the initial conversation they had decided that any discussions of their plan would be done outside of either of their homes, somewhere loud, and neither were to bring any of their personal devices. This was done to reduce the chance of anything picking up their secret plan. 

The meeting at the skating rink would be the first of many, each of which would delve a little bit farther into their growing plan. Holly had spent a long afternoon creating a list in her mind to run past Tyler so that he could cross reference them to the Chronicle. 

The Chronicle was what Tyler nicknamed the vast and growing list of important historical events kept by the lab. This "mother-list" of sorts was what two of _This Project's_ members were tasked with creating and ultimately monitoring once the project was in motion. Tyler happened to be one of those two people, which gave him an inside track to toying with things.

It was Holly that first brought up John Lennon during their second meeting. When she mentioned him, that idea got put into the "maybe" list; A list that Tyler would have to remember and ultimately cross reference with the list back at the lab.

Now, almost a month from their first meeting, Holly and Tyler returned to the roller rink. Miley Cyrus' voice blasted from the speakers which forced Holly and Tyler to sit close in order to hear each other.

"Well your Lennon idea is looking better and better," Tyler said while taking a sip of his fountain soda. "It's definitely not on the list, and I think it's something I could keep out of the Chronicle."

"About the Chronicle," Holly began, "how exactly would you even know if I tried to change anything? If I go and wipe out the Holocaust wouldn't everyone just simply have that event erased from their memory?"

Tyler laughed. "Well, that one's easy to answer. All of us who will be monitoring your time jumps will be immune to changes in the timeline, as long as we are inside the lab."

"Immune?!" Holly blurted. 

With a nod, Tyler continued, "Everyone inside the lab won't be affected by things changed in the timeline. If you were to go prevent the Holocaust, the rest of the world would never even know it existed in the first place, but we in the lab would know. Not only that, we would be alerted that it had been erased from the timeline."

Holly's eyes were as big as saucers. "That's unbelievable," she stammered. 

"Yes, well that's why it's so important to make sure that what we decide on isn't listed in the Chronicle," Tyler explained. "That way no alarm bells go off when you make the change."

Learning all this new information made Holly realize how little she knew of the intricacies of the mission. This made her wonder if perhaps she was getting in over her head. Feeling mostly like a lab rat by this point, she thanked Tyler for his patience in explaining the ins and outs of it all. 

"So, that's it?" Holly asked. "We're gonna go with John Lennon?"

"Unless you have a reason not to."

Holly shook her head. Her entire life had been peppered with all things Lennon. She had come into this world only hours before he left it. She grew up knowing that she was born the same day John Lennon died. 

It wasn't until her teen years that Holly decided to investigate just who this John Lennon guy actually was. The Beatles were a band she knew from childhood, as her parents had played their music quite often. But that was it: A band, a name, some songs. That was the extent of Holly's preteen knowledge. 

She remembered asking her mom about John Lennon, wanting to find out more about this famous musician that left the world as she was entering it. Her mom had pulled out a VHS copy of A Hard Day's Night and popped it in the VCR. The next couple of hours were filled with Holly asking endless questions. 

At first she kept getting John and George confused with each other. The accents and odd sayings were hard to follow, but seeing the four people playing the songs she had heard her entire childhood grabbed her attention and didn't let go. Pandora's box had been opened, and from then on Holly spent her days wanting more. More music, more information, more of everything Beatles related.

It was 1993 and the internet was making its way into people's homes. Before long, Holly's days were filled with Beatles music, and an obsession with searching the fledgling internet to find pictures and other people who shared her love. Holly was surprised to find herself leaning towards George when asked who her favorite Beatle was, but the draw to John was always there. She may have had a teenage crush on George, but John created some kind of orbital pull which Holly couldn't get away from. 

She read book after book, some checked out from the local library, others purchased with her or her parent's money. Within a very short time Holly was a walking encyclopedia of Beatles knowledge, with a specialty of all things Lennon. 

When her 13th birthday came around that year, she lit a candle for John. Holly had begged her parents to let her take a trip to New York City. She wanted to go to Central Park and see what this gathering at the Imagine mosaic was all about. Unfortunately, her parents had given her a resounding no because money was too tight around the holiday season. 

Throughout Holly's teen years her love of all things Beatles continued, and her desire to know more grew. The Beatles released some new material in the form of a television documentary called The Anthology in November of 1995, just before her 15th birthday. Holly was one of the first in line to purchase the VHS and CD copies of The Anthology when they were released a few months later. 

As Holly grew into an adult, she accepted the fact that the Beatles, and more importantly John, would likely be a part of her life forever. She no longer had the time, nor the inclination to listen to their music 24 hours a day, but by that point she didn't need to. She knew every song by heart, including the majority of John's solo work. And every year on her birthday she had an internal fight over celebrating herself, or mourning John. 

On her 19th birthday Holly finally did make it to New York City, and she felt her skin tingle as she walked into Strawberry Fields. Knowing that this particular section of Central Park had been John's favorite gave Holly a sense of belonging; a sense of connection to him. She made a point to visit at least once a year, many times using her birthday as an excuse to go mourn John with other people who felt the same as her. 

Throughout her entire life Holly had periodically wondered how different she would be if John had survived. This was one of those "what-if" questions that most people wonder in regards to various events in their own life. 

"Do you need a refill?" Tyler's voice shattered Holly's trip down memory lane. 

"Hmm? What?"

"Your soda," Tyler motioned to her cup. "Do you need a refill? I'm gonna go fill mine."

Holly brought the straw of her cup to her lips and took a sip. "No, I'm good. Thanks."

When Tyler returned they continued to discuss the growing details of the plan, being interrupted here or there when his kids came up asking for money for popcorn or soda. They decided that Holly would be in charge of the "how" and "when," and Tyler would be in charge of making sure her travels wouldn't raise any red flags. 

Saving John Lennon had suddenly jumped from a lifetime of wondering "what-if" into an actual real possibility. Even though she was nervous, Holly could barely contain her excitement.


	5. SHE'S LEAVING HOME

May 5, 2020

Holly woke up in her childhood bed for the fifth morning in a row. Her extended vacation was allowing her plenty of time to catch up on sleep, among other things. She padded down the stairs and into the kitchen, grabbing a coffee mug from the cupboard without even really looking. Plopping down at the kitchen table, Holly stirred cream and sugar into her coffee. 

The stack of books she left on the table last night had been pushed over to one side. She ran her fingers down the spine of each one, thankful that her parents had kept them all when she had moved out. Her collection of books on the Beatles ranged from the mundane, teeny bopper type, all the way to the day-by-day diary type, written and contributed by those who traveled in the Beatles' inner circle. 

When she finished her coffee and a piece of toast, Holly took the stack of books and brought them back up to her room. These books held the timeline that she would base her travel on. 

In keeping with their "no physical evidence" pact, Holly couldn't write a single thing down. Any physical trace of her research could end it all before it began, so everything she learned had to be committed to memory. She studied the books as if she were memorizing for a test. Holly picked out certain dates, cities, states and countries, even hotel names, and committed them to memory as if her life depended on it. In a way, it did. 

Holly was very thankful she had these books. Doing any kind of research online was completely out of the question. Even looking at books in the public library was too risky. Internet history and public video surveillance were things that fell into the "no physical evidence" pact. These books were her safest bet, and having them stored away at her parent's house was the best thing imaginable. 

In the most recent group meeting to discuss Project 1403-C it was decided that Holly would be making seven consecutive jumps all in approximately five year increments. This many jumps had not been attempted yet, so her main mission was to test the limits of the equipment, but she would also be testing its accuracy by jumping into multiple different locations all over the globe. The exact dates were still being cemented and Holly was hoping to be able to influence some of their choices.  

"1955 seems a bit too early," she thought to herself as she flipped past a picture of the Beatles playing in The Cavern. "I need to push for something closer to '58 or '59."

The plan that she and Tyler had come up with was simple, and yet vastly complex. She was to meet John before the Beatles got big, and somehow work her way into a friendship. She would ultimately have to tell him who she was and why she was there, but those details would be left up to Holly in the moment. Then, after making initial contact with him, she would pop back into his life, every five years, to make sure he remembered her and to continue to inform him of why exactly she was there. 

The final visit would be made in December of 1980 to complete her mission. They originally toyed with the idea of having Holly simply show up in 1980 and either physically stop the assassination or somehow alert the police before it happened, but every time they played out those scenarios in their heads the results were too risky. Physically stopping the shooting could lead to her, or other bystanders getting hurt, and going to the police risked her being questioned by them, which was far too dangerous. 

And then there was the idea of just wiping Mark David Chapman from existance before he had the chance to commit murder - discreetly poisoning him, or maybe even preventing him from being born all together, but both Holly and Tyler felt that option was not only too dangerous for Holly herself, but also in terms of setting off alarm bells from The Chronicle. So befriending John to prevent the shooting seemed like the safest, although probably not the easiest bet.

"Simple, huh?" she asked Rex, the family boarder collie that had wandered into her bedroom and jumped onto the bed. Rex tilted his head to one side and stared at Holly, his tongue drooping over the teeth at the front of his mouth.

"You have no idea what I'm even saying, do you buddy?" Holly said as she patted Rex on the head. He curled up on the bed next to her and closed his eyes. 

She was trying to figure out the best way to reach John during each jump. Since Holly would be arriving in a different location each time she jumped through time, it was imperative that she be able to know where John was and travel to him. Thankfully, John moved around quite a bit, both in the Beatles and afterwards, so Holly was hopeful that she could line up each jump somewhere relatively close to where he was at that time. 

That evening Holly packed up her things, including an extra bag filled with her Beatles books. As she was folding some clothes, her cell phone rang. It was Tyler.

"When are you back home?" Holly could hear a bit of commotion in the background and recognized that Tyler must be at his house. 

"I'm leaving in the morning. I should be back by 1:00, 2:00 PM at the latest. Everything okay?" Holly hadn't heard from Tyler since she left for her parent's. This unexpected phone call from him was slightly unnerving. 

"Yep, all is well," Tyler replied. "Just miss your face at work. I'm taking the kids to the zoo the day after tomorrow. I thought maybe you'd want to join me." 

"Of course! That sounds like fun." Holly breathed a sigh of relief. She knew this was simply Tyler's way of setting up another meeting to discuss their plan without raising any suspicions, should their phones be tapped. 

That night Holly slept well in her childhood bed, and in the morning she was ready to make the three hour trek back to Washington DC with her car packed full of Beatles books.

Holly spent the entire drive thinking about the information she gathered at the most recent group meeting. Her time jumps would be monitored by the lab, but once she arrived at each time and destination, her movement was no longer trackable. A preliminary list of items she would be able to bring with her was being created, and she was asked to contribute any suggestions she may have. Things were moving along smoothly and no one seemed to have even the slightest inkling what she and Tyler were planning.


	6. ISOLATION

August 9, 2020

Holly attempted to get comfortable as she re-positioned herself on the small couch. She was 24 hours into her 48 hour isolation and decontamination process at the lab, all in preparation for her initial time jump scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. She had her work tablet and her personal cell phone, along with the items packed in a bag that she would be taking with her. Other than those items, the only other things in the isolation unit were a twin sized bed, a couch, a small bathroom and the smallest kitchenette she had ever seen. Meals were brought to her, passed through a series of scanners with microbe sifting technology. 

Holly used this alone time to mentally quiz herself. All the dates, the locations, even her secret travel plans, were all seared into her brain, possibly even more so than her own name at this point. 

She spent quite a bit of time having an internal argument with her own brain. She knew she was risking everything - her career, her life, possibly even the safety of her immediate family - and Tyler was as well. Holly's brain was yelling at her to stop and think logically. There was still time to call the entire secret plan off. But the last time she and Tyler spoke he told her that everything was done. His portion of the plan was complete, and it looked like things would work out exactly as they wanted. Of course they had no way of knowing for certain, but according to Tyler, any changes involving John shouldn't register on any of the monitoring equipment. 

The lights automatically dimmed in the isolation unit, and Holly looked at the time; 10:00 PM. She had a busy morning ahead full of final medical checks and last minute briefings. Sleep would be the smart thing to do, although she knew it wouldn't come easily. It was around 11:00 when she climbed into the undersized bed. Curling up on her side and closing her eyes, Holly soon found herself drifting into a dreamless sleep. 

At 7:30 the next morning Holly awoke to an alarm. She showered in the cramped stall, and got dressed in the equally cramped space between the shower and the toilet. Holly looked down at her outfit. She was wearing a simple A-line dress, a pillbox hat, and white gloves which went halfway up her forearms; something that would fit in quite well in the 1950's. After dressing, breakfast was served. It was bland and tasteless, or perhaps it was just that Holly's mind was too preoccupied to taste anything. 

By 9:00 AM she was donning the isolet uniform over her clothes, which would keep away any contamination from her coworkers and the lab equipment. Much like an astronaut's uniform, it contained a full body suit and a headpiece. Oxygen was filtered into the suit via something resembling a small gas mask. She placed her travel bag into a smaller isolet capsule and checked to make sure everything was zipped before pressing the button to vacuum seal it. Moments later the door to the isolation unit gave a loud _clank_ indicating it was now unlocked.

"You may exit the chamber now," boomed a male voice, sounding somewhat distorted through the speakers. Holly recognized it as Agent Samuel Thomas' voice.

Holly picked up the isolet capsule containing her bag and walked towards the door. It opened in front of her, and standing on the other side of the threshold was Agent Thomas accompanied by Agents Brady and Monroe. Lisa Monroe was the only one with a smile on her face. The other two were expressionless. 

The next few hours were filled with enough medical pokes, prods, scans, and tests to last Holly a lifetime. A final psychological exam was also performed, and when everything was completed Agent Holly DuPont was given the final approval for the start of _This Project_. 

While she was undergoing this testing, the isolet capsule was taken into another room for its own series of scans and tests. Her work tablet and cell phone were in there, both needed for travel. The tablet and phone contained the application that gave her control over the time jumps. Holly had actually laughed out loud when she learned that an app on a tablet was literally how she would travel through time. The phrase "there's an app for that" was suddenly given new meaning.

What gave Holly some last minute anxiety was what else was contained on those devices. Hidden secretly away, on an app within an app, were a plethora of photos, videos, and various other information about John Lennon and the Beatles. Tyler had created a cloaking software of sorts - a storage application that could hide in plain sight - and it was filled with items and information that Holly had deemed necessary in order for her plan to work. If this hidden information was somehow discovered, that would be the end. Not only would the project be immediately called off, but her career and life as she knew it would be over. 

Tyler was one of the three people doing the various final scans of her personal items, and he had guaranteed her that it would be all but impossible for his hidden app to be found, yet Holly couldn't help but be apprehensive as she waited for the items to be returned to her. 

By noon Holly's testing was complete. Within the next half hour she learned that the scans and tests were completed on everything contained within her personal bag. 

Holly watched the people around her as they performed their duties. She felt oddly out of place, as all she could do was sit and watch. She was soon herded into a small meeting room adjacent to the larger lab which contained the machinery she would be standing in shortly. Verbal walk-throughs were had and final paperwork was doled out to be read, signed and filed. The entire meeting was nothing less than a blur to Holly whose mind was seemingly not on this planet anymore. 

By 3:30, she was standing inside the lab which contained the machinery labeled T14-R19. The room itself was rather large, but the size of the machinery, combined with the multitude of people made the room look like a crowded subway car. Holly stood alone behind the sealed glass partition which separated T14-R19 from the rest of the equipment. Only then was she allowed to remove her isolet uniform and her bag from its isolet capsule, revealing her 1950's outfit. 

Peeking inside the bag, Holly ran her fingers across the various items. She knew the large wallet on the top contained an exorbitant amount of money, but it also contained a multitude of identification cards. Drivers licences, passports, and birth certificates were placed in envelopes, all with different names, locations, and years.

Before she knew it, Holly was being directed onto the small standing pad of T14-R19. Her initial jump would be controlled by her coworkers, but after that all following jumps were controlled by her, and that somewhat comedic application on her tablet. 

The first jump would send her to the year 1953, into a remote rural city about one hundred miles northwest of New York City. From there Holly was to gather a few items and continue on with the mission. She had no intention of spending much time there. Her true goal was to make it to Liverpool in 1958.

Holly looked directly in front of her as she stood on the small glass pad. Tyler was busily making adjustments, and pausing between them to write something down or consult with the person standing next to him. Holly's chest felt tight with excitement and nervousness. She brushed the fabric of her dress with her hands, feeling somewhat out of place in the old fashioned clothing. She was supposed to stay away from as much human interaction as possible, but needed to look the part for the year she would be traveling to.

Voices came through the small speakers on Holly's side of the glass, and she found herself responding to them automatically. Her heart was racing as she watched the people in front of her pressing buttons and adjusting intricate levels. She caught Tyler's eye, and they exchanged smiles. 

"Countdown begins in one minute," Agent Thomas' voice broke through the muffled chatter, making Holly jump.

Holly took a deep breath. She looked around the room one last time and closed her eyes as the numbers were counted down to zero. A blast of warmth filled her body, seeming to come from within herself, and an amazing light show formed on the inside of her eyelids. 

And with that, the glass standing pad of T14-R19 was empty.


	7. DRIVE MY CAR

September 1, 1953

It was a full minute after the feeling of warmth subsided and the light show dimmed behind her eyelids before Holly dared to open them. When she did, she found herself standing in the middle of what seemed to be a corn field on a breezy, sunny day. Tall corn stalks stood in rows to her left and right and appeared to go on forever in front of her. 

Looking up, the blue sky was freckled with a few fluffy, cotton clouds floating slowly by. Holly turned to look behind her and saw what looked like a tiny house off in the distance. She knew she was somewhere approximately one hundred miles away from New York City, but she had no clue exactly where. 

It didn't seem like anyone was nearby, so Holly decided to walk towards the house in the distance. As she got closer it became apparent that what she thought was a house was actually a barn. It looked quite rundown and dilapidated. Many of the wooden boards were rotted through so badly that she could see straight through to the inside. 

Still sensing that no one was nearby, Holly walked around the outside of the barn and found a cement bench, broken on one side but still usable. She removed her white gloves and used her bare hands to brush the dirt and debris off of the bench. Sitting down, Holly brought her bag to her lap. She placed her gloves inside and pulled out a black, metal box the size of a brick. She lifted the metal latch which kept the box shut and looked at the five marble sized spheres it contained. Only one of these spheres was needed in order to time jump, but the team agreed that five of them should be more than enough of a safety net, should one of them stop working for some reason. 

"Okay, well I made it," Holly said out loud. 

It was then that she realized she could be wrong. Yes, she most certainly was transported to another location, but Holly had no idea if she truly had arrived in a different time. She closed the small box and placed it back inside her bag. 

Sighing softly, Holly adjusted the pillbox hat, which was causing her scalp to sweat and itch. "I guess I'll have to walk a bit farther and find someone that can tell me what year it is." After a few steps, Holly paused, "I'm going to sound like a complete idiot. 'Pardon me, do you happen to have the year?'"

Holly followed the dirt road that lead away from the barn and after about fifteen minutes of walking, she came to a paved road. Two mailboxes stood next to each other, rising tall in the carpet of grass, weeds, and wildflowers that surrounded them. One of the mailboxes had the number 1108 on it in chipped white paint, presumably the address of the farm she just walked through. 

Birds chirped in the distance and a flock of five or six geese flew overhead, honking as they glided through the air. Standing next to the mailboxes, Holly removed her hat, wondering how girls made it through their days wearing silly things like gloves and hats. As she was debating whether to stuff the hat into her bag, she heard the faint sound of an engine approaching. Soon enough, an orange pickup truck appeared over the horizon, coming down the paved road. 

"Shit," Holly whispered, as she replaced the hat on her head.

The truck slowed down and came to a stop next to her. The truck was almost surreal. Unless this man happened to be a collector of classic vintage vehicles, Holly had her answer about whether she was truly sent back in time. Its windows were already down and she tried to give her most confident smile as the man inside stared at her. 

"Everything okay, miss?" asked the stranger from inside the truck. He had a pipe in his mouth and looked to be at least 60 years old. 

"Oh yes sir, I just seem to have gotten separated from my brother. We ran out of gas driving through here and split up to look for help," Holly was hoping nothing she said sounded odd. 

"Well a pretty little lady like yourself shouldn't be out here on the side of the road alone."

"No sir, you're right. My brother probably found someone to get him to a gas station and he'll be back around to look for me any minute now."

"Well hop on in, miss. There's a gas station about five miles up the road. That's where he would be, if you think that's really what happened." The man gave her a smile while holding the pipe between his teeth. 

Holly stood frozen for a minute, questioning whether to get in the truck or not. Never in a million years would she even be debating this in 2020. Strange men in strange vehicles were an automatic no. But this was, hopefully, 1953. 

"Yes, thank you sir. That's very kind of you," she said as she reached for the door. 

_Please don't kill me, please don't be some crazy psycho._ The phrase repeated over and over silently in her head as she clumsily tried to step up into the truck while holding her bag and keeping her hat from falling off. 

"You certainly don't look familiar, miss.... Miss?" the man raised an eyebrow as he spoke. 

"Graham. Miss Graham," Holly declared with a smile. As a safety measure, she was given a fake last name to use during her time jumps. Graham was the surname agreed upon by her team of coworkers, none of which were even born yet, Holly realized as she spoke. 

"Well Miss Graham," the driver teased, "a lady as young and pretty as you is someone I would remember meeting before. Where are you from?"

A line like that would set off warning bells in her time, but it was obvious that this man was not trying to be inappropriate. Holly chuckled to herself at being called "young lady." She was almost 40 but realized that she looked much younger. Her entire life, she was always mistaken as being far younger than she actually was. 

"Oh I'm not from around here. Like I said, my brother just ran out of gas as we were driving through." Holly looked out the window at the trees passing her, wishing the man would drive faster to avoid more questions. Not giving him a chance to reply, Holly quickly blurted, "Say, this certainly is a lovely truck! What kind is it?" 

The man gave her a quizzical look. "It's a Chevrolet," he responded with a pause between each word. 

"Oh how wonderful! How long have you had it?" Holly cheerfully asked, trying to make her questions seem normal. 

"You're full of interesting questions for a young lady." 

Holly could see the gas station getting closer. "Yes, I suppose so."

"Well, if you're that interested, I've had it for 3 years now. Bought it brand new."

Holly felt a fluttering inside her stomach. His answer, along with the appearance of the gas station they were now pulling into, confirmed it. This was 1953. It worked!

As soon as the truck came to a stop, Holly opened the truck door and hopped out, rambling the words "thank you," and "you're so kind," as the man tried to get a word in. 

Holly ran from the truck and into the main entrance of the gas station, passing one gas attendant outside by the pump. Opening the door, she approached the gentleman at the counter. 

"Pardon me sir, do you have a restroom I could use?" 

"Yes ma'am," the attendant replied, and handed her a keychain attached to a baton-like stick. "Around the side," he replied. 

Holly took the key and made her way around the side of the building. The man from the truck shouted something to her, but she didn't stop to hear him. She unlocked the door and went inside. She placed her bag on the sink and retrieved the small black box and her tablet. 

Opening the box, Holly removed one of the smooth orbs and returned the box to her bag. She opened up the special app on her tablet, synced it with the orb in her hand, and scrolled through the numbers and months on the touchscreen. She entered the first date of a long list memorized in her head: July 1, 1958 and the location of Manchester, England. John Lennon was the only thing on her mind.

Holly quickly tossed her bag over her shoulder. Clutching the orb in one hand and the tablet in the other, she placed her thumb to the spot on the screen where the flashing "engage" button was located. The same warm feeling she remembered from earlier emanated from inside her. This time, Holly kept her eyes open and found the same colorful waves of light dancing in front of them. 

The last thing Holly heard before the orb overtook her senses was a knocking sound on the door and the muffled voice of the man from the truck.


	8. I SAW HER STANDING THERE

July 1, 1958

Holly's eyes adjusted as the colorful swirls faded away and a dim, yellow tinged light took it's place. She immediately noticed the chatter of people's voices behind her and she froze, afraid to turn or look around. She wasn't fully certain how it looked when she jumped into a new time, but she was sure it couldn't possibly be easily explained, suddenly appearing out of thin air. 

Looking in front of her, she seemed to be standing in an alley, or some kind of small side street between tall buildings. When a few seconds passed and none of the voices in the background seemed to take notice of her, Holly slowly turned her entire body to face the direction of the chatter. She was standing about twenty feet from a busy street with pedestrians walking past the alley, accented by the occasional car passing on the other side of them. 

Holly had been able to influence the team's choice of cities for many of the jumps. She chose Manchester for this jump due to its close proximity to Liverpool, and also the fact that it would be easy to find food, transportation, and even lodging for a night if needed. She didn't bother suggesting Liverpool because she knew that heading straight to a city known mainly for their most famous band might raise a few eyebrows, especially since her love of the Beatles was no secret. The fact that she materialized so incredibly close to people, not to mention oncoming traffic, made her second guess her decision though.

"They might have been right, sending me to a remote area to begin with," Holly pondered.

Suddenly realizing that she was still holding on to the small orb and the tablet, Holly quickly let her bag drop from her shoulder and unzipped it. She carefully slid the tablet inside and tucked the orb into its box.

Still wearing the same A-line dress she had put on only a few hours ago and yet somehow 62 years in the future, Holly ran her hands over the skirt, smoothing any wrinkles that may have formed. She took a small breath and started walking towards the main street. She knew, being a major city, Manchester was bound to have a cafe or tea room somewhere nearby. 

It only took a couple of blocks before Holly found one. Before going inside, she unzipped her bag one more time and slid a hand inside, searching for something. She pulled out a few coins from the wallet within her bag and checked them to make sure they were the correct currency for England. Her large wallet was filled with various small bills and coins from countries like England, Canada, and Australia, all with production dates no later than 1953. The largest amount of money was in American currency, with the same production date precautions taken.

Holly opened the door to a quaint tea room with floral wallpaper lining the walls and the smell of tea leaves wafting in the air. A handful of dark, mahogany tables littered the space between the front door and the small counter at the back of the room. 

After purchasing a cup of tea and a scone, Holly sat at a small table, staring at the swirling floral pattern decorating the wall next to her. The clock on the wall read 11:36 AM, which meant she had plenty of time to find a way to Liverpool and figure out where to stay that evening. She had to fight the impulse of automatically reaching for her cell phone to look up bus routes. Instead, Holly sipped her tea and took the last bite of the scone. 

When she was finished, Holly went up to the counter and smiled at the older woman whom she had purchased her tea and scone from a few minutes earlier.

"Pardon me, but would you be able to tell me where I can find a bus or train to Liverpool?" she asked in her noticeably American accent.

"Liverpool!" marveled the tea lady. "There's nothing in Liverpool for an American tourist!"

"Oh, no, I'm actually not a tourist," Holly answered. "I'm visiting my brother who lives there now, but I seem to have gotten a bit turned around in my travels."

The woman gave Holly a bit of a grimace, as if she were deciding whether to believe the story or not. "Well, go out onto the street," she replied, motioning towards the door of the cafe, "make a right and walk until you come to Deansgate. Then make another right and you'll see it. Although I'm sure you'll have to make a few stops before making it to Liverpool."

"Thank you very much!" Holly chirped with a smile and a quick nod. Then she headed towards the door. 

The tea lady's directions were quite easy to follow, and Holly found the bus and rail station easily. After trying to make heads or tails of the posted travel schedules she approached the ticket counter, deciding that her best bet was to ask someone for help.

"Hello, I'm trying to get to Liverpool to visit my brother but I'm having a hard time figuring out how to get there," she explained to the man behind the ticket counter. Holly figured giving her story of visiting family upfront might help prevent a repeat of the tea lady's cautionary warnings. 

The man helped her to purchase a train ticket which would connect her to the Merseyrail and ultimately deliver her to the Lime Street Station in the center of Liverpool. Holly thanked him graciously and walked to the railway platform, holding tightly to her ticket, unable to keep the smile from curling the sides of her mouth. This ticket was the item that would bring her to John. Her heart was beating faster with the realization that a 17 year old John Lennon was less than forty miles away.

The trip took a bit over an hour and Holly was able to find a seat by herself, thankful that she wouldn't have to chat with neighboring passengers. Even though her main goal was to make a drastic change to one event in the timeline, she still tried her best to not affect other aspects. She didn't want to speak or interact with people outside of John Lennon and those involved with him, unless it was absolutely necessary.

Staring out the window of the small train car, Holly watched trees and buildings pass by. She tried to keep her mind busy planning out her next steps. It was an odd feeling to not be able to idly scroll through her phone checking social media or swiping through interesting videos. Even odder was the fact that she couldn't listen to music. Holly may have grown up in an era before smartphones or digital music at her fingertips, but she certainly acclimated to it in her twenties, and by her thirties she was one of the earbud wearing zombies that filled public spaces, especially public transportation. 

Holly's first priority would be to find a place to stay. She had no clue how long it would take to even make contact with John, much less work up enough of a rapport with him to get the ball rolling. She knew she would be staying in Liverpool for at least a few days. Holly had done a bit of limited research and was able to come up with at least two prospects for places to stay. 

"Next stop, Lime Street!" bellowed the rail man, breaking Holly's train of thought. 

People began gathering their belongings and preparing for the train's arrival at the station. Holly looked down at her bag sitting on her lap. She peeked inside, discretely sticking her hand in and pressing the home button on her cell phone which was buried under an article of clothing. Of all the things she and the team packed and planned in preparation, a wrist watch was somehow left off the list. She would have to find a store and buy one or else be forced to approach strangers whenever she wanted to know the time.

The bright display lit up and Holly did her best to shield the light from being seen outside of the bag. 2:08 PM shone brightly from the screen. Holly removed her hand from the bag and zipped it, looking around casually to make sure no one happened to see anything. Moments later, the squealing of metal announced the train's arrival at its destination. People began standing up, gathering belongings, and making their way towards the exits.

As she found her way from deep within the train station and out into the main concourse, Holly ran through her options in her head. She sat down on an empty bench and unzipped her bag, this time fishing around inside a small side pocket. She pulled out a folded piece of paper and held it in her hands, slowly unfolding it.

Holly read the address silently in her head; 2 Admiral Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. She had been carrying this address around in her mind for weeks and took the first opportunity on the train to pull out a sheet of paper and finally write it down, as if she might somehow forget it in the short span of the train ride. She knew this location was about a ten minute drive, or a thirty minute walk from the Lime Street Station. Being completely unfamiliar with the bus schedule or routes, she marched up to the ticket counter and asked the gentleman behind it if he could help.

After a few minutes of conversation, which included multiple requests on her part for the helpful ticket attendant to repeat himself in his Liverpudlian accent, Holly padded off, pulling her bag over her shoulder. When she walked out onto the busy sidewalk she could smell the distant sea air mingling with the smell of car exhaust and diesel fuel. 

The bus ride was uneventful, although Holly delighted in being in one of the old timey double decker buses she had always seen in pictures. A short fifteen minutes after getting on the bus she was stepping out of it onto Admiral Street. Then, after a few moments of walking, she found herself in front of the Royal Park Hotel, a building that served as both a pub and a lodging house over the numerous decades since its construction. 

Holly had picked this location for one main reason - it was midway between Mimi Smith's house, where John grew up, and the Art College area where John spent a good amount of his time. She had no way of knowing if there was an empty room available, but Holly hoped there would be so she wouldn't have to pull out her contingency plan. 

"I just do not feel comfortable renting a room out to a woman by herself, ma'am. This is no area for a woman to be alone in." 

Holly had been politely arguing with the older gentleman behind the counter for a good five minutes. If it wasn't blatantly obvious before now that she was in a different time period, the fact that Holly was having to literally argue her way into getting a hotel room by herself was making it abundantly clear. She was beginning to lose her temper.

"Sir, I just need a place to stay until my brother and his wife come back," Holly lied. "I was supposed to be surprising them with my visit, but it turns out I'm the one who's surprised because they're on a trip out of town for the next few days. I can't get into their home until they get back." 

The man gave her a grimace. 

"I can pay you upfront for three days. I won't be any trouble, I promise. You won't even know I'm here."

The prospect of a wad of cash being handed his way seemed to soften the look on the man's face. He studied her for a moment. "Okay miss, but if anyone undesirable comes looking for you, I'm kicking you out. I don't need any trouble here."

Holly almost started to ask what kind of trouble she could possibly cause by simply staying there by herself, but she swallowed the words before they came out and instead asked, "How much do I owe you?"

The room she was given was nothing short of minuscule. Holly wasn't sure if that was the norm for all the rooms, or if her special treatment had earned her the tiniest room. There was a twin sized bed and one small dresser, which also served as the bedside table. Communal bathrooms and showers were down the hall. 

"I should probably pick up a bathrobe somewhere," Holly said to herself. 

She had packed only one other complete outfit in her bag, knowing that she needed room for other items, but also knowing she would need to buy new clothes throughout her travels, as the fashions would be changing over the years. 

It was still early enough in the afternoon that shops should be open, so Holly decided to do a bit of shopping. Tomorrow would be her first day attempting to find and make contact with John.

Standing in the narrow hallway, Holly locked her room, double checking her handbag to make sure the phone, tablet and orbs were all inside it. As a safety precaution, she needed to take these items everywhere at all times.

Back at the bus stop, Holly headed up to the ticket counter and asked, in her best not-from-here American accent, where the nearest clothing shop was. The man stared at her for a moment before ultimately giving her the bus number that would take her to Blackler's department store. 

Holly's stomach was suddenly full of butterflies. She knew Blackler's. Well, she knew _about_ Blackler's. George Harrison was an electrician's apprentice for Blackler's back in 1959.

"Oh God," Holly thought to herself. "It's not _back_ in 1959. It's _next year_ in 1959!"

She shook her head in amazement and tried to recall other trivia she knew about Blackler's department store. "Pete's drums!" Holly exclaimed, quickly putting her hand to her mouth. She certainly hadn't meant to say that out loud.

Pete Best, the drummer before Ringo, had his drum kit bought at Blackler's by his mom. This was becoming more and more surreal by the moment. 

The large black letters on the side of the building made it all but impossible for Holly to get lost. She easily found her way from the bus to the main entrance of Blackler's. Once inside, she stopped to look around, marveling at all the items that would be called "antique" or "vintage" in her time. 

Walking past the children's department, Holly observed a group of kids huddled around a large, almost life-sized rocking horse. From what she could pick up from the children's Liverpudlian banter, it sounded like the horse was named Blackie, and it was obvious that they all wanted a turn to ride on him.

Once she found the women's clothing department, Holly busied herself looking through racks of dresses, blouses and skirts. Holding a knee length dress up to her body, she tried to guess what size she might be. She looked around, hoping to find a mirror or perhaps the changing rooms.

Holly's eyes opened as wide as possible and she immediately closed them so tightly they hurt. She opened them again and squinted, trying to figure out if what she was seeing could be true. Cynthia Lennon. Well, it would be Powell now, not Lennon. 

"Yes, that's her. It must be," Holly thought. "If it's not, then every photograph I've seen of her over the years were all lies."

Cynthia and a girlfriend were standing halfway across the women's clothing department, and Holly sorted through the dresses in front of her to keep from staring like an idiot. She knew she couldn't let this opportunity pass her by, so Holly quickly came up with a plan. She casually made her way closer to Cynthia and her friend, pretending to look at a dress or a blouse on her way.

"Excuse me," Holly stammered.

Cynthia and her friend stopped talking and turned to look at Holly.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, but I'm here by myself and trying to decide between two dresses. I just can't seem to make a decision and I was hoping one of you could help me?"

"You're from America?" Cynthia asked.

"Yes, well I can't seem to hide it from anyone," Holly said with a bashful smile.

Cynthia gave a small smile. "Well, what are you trying to choose between?"

Holly held up two dresses on hangers, one on either of her body. "I just don't have enough money for both of them and I think I like them equally," She was doing her absolute best to rein in the butterflies in her stomach, which had seemingly turned into large, flapping birds.

Cynthia and her friend both looked at the dresses, their eyes darting back and forth between the two, studying them. Cynthia pointed and said, "They're both beautiful but I do think the yellow one compliments your hair better." Her friend standing next to her, nodded.

"Well there you have it, then!" Holly exclaimed. "I never would have been able to pick one myself. You are a lifesaver. Thank you so much!" She discarded the other dress on a nearby rack and turned back to Cynthia. "I'm Holly," she said with a smile.

"Cynthia," she responded. "And this is Margaret," motioning to her friend next to her.

"It's very nice to meet you," Holly gushed. "Like I said, I'm here in England totally by myself at the moment and I definitely needed another pair of eyes for this."

"By yourself?" exclaimed Cynthia. "What on earth is an American doing in the middle of Liverpool, completely alone?" 

"Well..." Holly began. 

She regaled them with the same fictional story she had told the hotel man earlier; How her fictitious brother and his imaginary wife had gone off on an impromptu vacation, completely ruining the surprise Holly was trying to give them by showing up unannounced. 

"Oh my goodness!" Cynthia held a hand to her chest. "That's just awful! And you can't get into their home while they're away?"

"No, the landlord lives completely on the other side of the country and is quite unreachable. Apparently no one else has a key. It's really not a huge problem, other than I don't know the area that well. I've gotten a room at a small hotel for the time being."

"Well that is such a shame, isn't it?" Cynthia remarked. She turned to look at her friend Margret, who nodded in agreement. "Everyone needs a friend in a city like this one. Would you be interested in joining me for a drink tomorrow?" she asked. "I've recently started seeing a new boy and he likes to take me to his favorite pub with his friends, but I often end up being the only girl in the group."

Holly felt her cheeks flush. This _new boy_ would be John Lennon. "Uh... I... Are you sure I wouldn't be in the way?" Holly's entire body felt like it was on fire but she hoped it didn't show.

"No, don't be silly. Of course not." Cynthia reached out a hand and touched the dress in Holly's hand. "It will give you an excuse to wear your new dress!" she exclaimed.

"Well then, I would love to join you. You're too kind."

"Tomorrow, around 3:00? It's a placed called Ye Cracke on Rice Street. It's a few blocks from the Cathedral?" Cynthia tilted her head, trying to come up with information to help Holly find the pub. "I'm not sure what buses run near where you're staying, but there are a few bus stops that let out on Hope Street, just a couple of blocks from Ye Cracke."

"Oh that's perfect," Holly exclaimed. "I've managed to navigate the buses so far today," she laughed. "I'm sure I can make it to the Cathedral. Then I'll just ask someone to point me towards Rice Street!"

Cynthia laughed as well. "Well lovely. I will meet you there tomorrow afternoon around 3:00."

"I can't wait! Thank you again for the invitation."

That evening, trying to get comfortable in the small, lumpy bed in her room, Holly's mind was reeling. She had spent so many weeks coming up with ways to meet John Lennon. Nothing in her plans included having him dropped directly into her lap. Laying in bed, Holly played out a variety of potential conversations in her head. It was well after midnight when she finally drifted off to sleep.


	9. ACT NATURALLY

July 2, 1958 

Holly woke up to the sound of muffled voices. It took her a moment to recognize her surroundings but it was soon obvious that the paper thin walls of the room were letting in the conversations of people on either side of her. She reached over to pick up the wristwatch she purchased at Blackler's yesterday. The hands indicated that it was 6:52 in the morning. 

"Ughhh," Holly stretched her arms up over her head and twisted around a bit, trying to get the muscles in her back to relax. This was certainly not the most comfortable mattress. 

Having only fallen asleep a few hours earlier, she was still groggy. The chatter through the walls was suddenly peppered with the sound of doors opening and closing, and louder voices coming from the hallway. People were up and making their way to and from the communal hallway bathrooms. 

"Well, I guess I'm up then," Holly groaned and twisted her body so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed. 

The small communal women's bathroom was three doors down the hall from Holly's room. It offered about the same luxury as her room did; one wall containing a row of toilet stalls, the opposite wall containing the same number of small sinks, and the back wall housing shower stalls with a tiny dressing area connected to each one. 

Back in her room, freshly bathed and donning the soft, powder blue robe that she purchased yesterday, Holly pulled her wallet out of her handbag and rifled through the separate sections, each containing money in a different currency. The largest sum was in American dollars. Her second largest amount was in British pounds. Holly was wary of carrying around such a large amount of money at all times, but she was far more wary of leaving this money in her room where it could potentially disappear. She pulled out a few pound notes and some coins and put them in the outermost section of the wallet. This would be the money she would use today.

The yellow dress that Cynthia helped her choose was a perfect fit. It had small blue and red flowers patterned throughout it and a high neckline, accented with a small band of lace. The fabric and construction of the dress felt different than what Holly was used to. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it just felt different - sturdier perhaps? Whatever it was, the dress looked lovely and felt even better. 

Attempting to style her hair into the same smooth yet full hairstyle she wore yesterday was an interesting feat. Holly usually wore her shoulder length brown hair in whatever manner it put itself into after a good brushing. Makeup was a similar exercise in the unfamiliar. Her usual moisturizer, powder, and lip gloss just wouldn't cut it now. Holly had spent the days prior to her trip back in time practicing makeup and hairstyles from different time periods, trying her best to master them. 

She was trying to look as young as possible, and even though she knew she didn't look anywhere near her actual age of 39, Holly also knew she wasn't going to pass as an 18-20 year old either. 

"John is currently 17 years old," Holly sighed, looking at her reflection in her powder compact. "Will he take one look at me and laugh to Cynthia about the old lady she invited along?"

Closing the compact, Holly decided she would just play it by ear and perhaps her age wouldn't come up at all. She grabbed her handbag and walked out of her room, locking the door behind her. 

Down on the main level, the pub attached to the hotel was offering a small breakfast to hotel stayers. As Holly munched on beans on toast and a thick link of sausage, she contemplated walking a few blocks over to where Ringo Starr's home was located. Knowing that he was living a short five block walk from where she was staying was a bit exhilarating but Holly knew she would ultimately meet Ringo. Now just wasn't the time.

The bus ride to the Cathedral had been crowded and Holly longed for the air conditioned commutes she was used to in 2020. She glanced at her watch as the bus came to a stop: 2:34pm. 

She knew the general area she was going to. Ye Cracke was a location Holly had read a bit about, knowing it was one of John's favorite hangouts during his time in art school. She took a quick, mini sight-seeing trip and wandered the area around the Cathedral, trying to waste some time before heading to the pub. At 2:55, Holly made her way in the direction of Rice Street as yesterday's butterflies found their way back into her stomach.

When she arrived at Ye Cracke her watch read 3:04. Holly stood on the sidewalk outside the pub for a few minutes. She didn't know whether she was waiting for Cynthia or John to come walking down the street, or if she was waiting for her heart rate to slow down. Either way she wasn't ready to walk inside just yet. After a couple of minutes, Holly decided that they were likely already inside. She walked to the door, took a deep breath, and opened it slowly.

Holly had to wait a few seconds for her eyes to adjust from the outside sunlight to the dimmer lighting of the pub. There was a number of men around the small bar, some laughing or talking and others sitting in silence at they drank their ales. She looked around and almost missed Cynthia sitting at a wooden table past the bar. 

"Hi there!" Holly said as she walked up to the table. Cynthia was sitting alone.

"Oh hello!" Cynthia responded with a smile. "You made it! I hope you didn't have any trouble finding the pin? It's a bit out of the way."

"Oh not at all! I made it in the Cathedral and then a nice lady pointed me towards Rice Street. Thank you again for inviting me here."

"You're quite welcome," Cynthia replied. "Please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink?"

Holly pulled out a chair and joined Cynthia at the table. "Thank you, what are you drinking?"

"I'm just having a Coca-Cola right now. It's a bit too early in the day for alcohol for me!"

"Well I guess I'll have a Coke as well, then," Holly smiled. "Do I go up to the bar or is there a waitress?"

Cynthia laughed, "Oh, no need. I'll have my date get you one from the bar." 

Holly let out a quiet, involuntary gasp as she heard Cynthia's voice, "John! Come here for a moment please?"

Holly slowly turned her head towards the direction Cynthia was looking. There was a group of seven or eight boys that looked to be in their late teens or early twenties, all crowding around a tall table next to a dartboard on the wall. Each of the boys was wearing different clothing, some in suit jackets and others in black leather jackets. Some sported the teddy boy pompadour hairstyle, while others had a more classic, short haircut. Holly couldn't immediately pick John from the group, as they all had their backs turned to her. 

"John?" Cynthia shouted again.

Suddenly one of the leather wearing, teddy boy hairstyle boys broke off from the group and turned to face Holly. He took a couple of steps in their directions and Holly felt her heart jump into her throat. A 17 year old John Lennon was walking towards her. She clenched her jaw as tight as she could in order to repress the string of noises, and possibly even profanity, that she knew was just on the other side of her lips. She followed him with her eyes as he got closer and closer, ultimately stopping at their table.

"Holly, this is John," Cynthia said, putting her hand on his back. "John, this is the girl I was telling you about, Holly...." she paused for a beat. "You know I don't suppose I ever got your last name, did I?"

Holly stared at Cynthia for a moment, trying to get her brain to process the words it just heard. "Um, no I guess you didn't," she finally replied. "It's Graham."

"John, this is Holly Graham. Would you mind grabbing a Coke at the bar for her? 

John darted his eyes to Holly. "What's a holly-gram? Some sort of Christmas telegram? What kind of a name is that?" John's voice was exactly the same as Holly remembered from all the interviews she heard throughout her life. His Liverpool accent was a bit more pronounced, but the tone and pitch was one hundred per cent John. 

"John! Be nice!" Cynthia chastised with a gentle slap on his arm.

Holly had always thought the name the team had come up with was a funny one - a bit of a play on the word "hologram." She had laughed when she was first presented with it.

"No, no, it's quite alright. I've never thought of it that way before, but I suppose a Christmas telegram might be an interesting way to remember it," Holly chuckled.

"There, see Cyn?" John retorted. "You're too uptight for your own good. Coke?" he asked, looking at Holly.

"Oh, yes please. How much is one? I can pay for it." Holly asked, reaching into her handbag while looking at John and yet trying to keep herself from gawking.

"Don't be silly," Cynthia said. "You're stuck in the middle of a country that you don't know. The least I can do is cover your drink." 

"Oh, no, you're too kind," Holly said, but John had already walked off to the bar to fetch her soda.

Cynthia gave Holly a generous smile. "I apologize for John. He has a bit of a mouth on him at times. He meant no harm."

"Now it's your turn to not be silly!" exclaimed Holly, her nerves calming. "A funny joke about my name is the least of my concerns. He seems like a nice fellow. You said you just recently started seeing each other?"

"Yes, it hasn't been too long. I was actually quite serious with someone else before I met him. Engaged even. But, truthfully, I don't think that would have really gone anywhere. And there's just something about John. I can't put my finger on it, but I'm just drawn to him I guess." Cynthia put her hand to her chest. "I don't mean to unload my dating history on you, I'm sorry."

Holly chuckled. "Well I suppose it's a nice thing to have multiple suitors to choose from. Don't be sorry at all!"

Suddenly a glass bottle was placed in front of her.

"There we are, Miss Christmas Telegram." John sat down in the empty chair between Holly and Cynthia. "Bet you don't get fizzy drinks delivered to you with such charm over in America."

"Well, I can safely say I've never been given a soda with such a personal touch to my name before," Holly laughed. "Thank you again."

John scooted his chair a bit closer to Cynthia and put his arm around her, resting it on the back of her chair. "So what's America like? If I lived there you'd never catch me visiting a shit-hole like this town."

Holly smiled, gaining some confidence, thankful that the conversation was coming easily so far. "Well, I suppose some places aren't all that different from Liverpool, really. It all depends on where you live. People hear _America_ and immediately think Hollywood and New York City. There's a whole lot of nothing in between those two places."

"What part are you from?" Cynthia asked.

"Middle of nowhere, really. A small farming town in North Carolina. It's on the eastern side of the country." 

Holly went on to tell a condensed version of the pre-planned story regarding her past. Small town childhood, farmer father and housewife mother, and an older brother now living in England. 

"Really," Holly continued, "compared to where I grew up, Liverpool seems like a bustling metropolis."

"Well, even in the middle of nowhere, America's got more than us. You guys have all the rock n' roll groups and all the famous movie stars. We've got none of that," John retorted.

With John bringing up the subject of music, Holly quickly pulled out some of her practiced conversations. "Well I suppose you're right about that. We definitely do have a lot of good music over there. And the music scene is really changing lately. A real departure from the Big Band sound and a lot heavier stuff coming out - like you said, rock n' roll."

John removed his arm from behind Cynthia and leaned both elbows on the table, leaning in towards Holly. "Yes! That's exactly what I'm talking about! We barely have access to that stuff over here. You have to cross your fingers and hope your transistor radio can pick up some of the transatlantic stations late at night. Then you're stuck in one place with an ear to the speaker. If you move a millimeter, you might lose reception."

"Well, it can be like that at times, even in America. But that's mostly when you're out too far from a radio tower or if something interferes with the signal," Holly answered.

"Well, it's still gotta be better than here. What groups do you listen to?" John asked as he sat back in his chair again.

"Well, Elvis certainly. I don't know anyone who doesn't listen to him. I really like Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry. The Coasters, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins ..."

"You listen to all those?" John asked with a bit of a surprised expression.

"Well, yes. Living out in the middle of nowhere, music is my connection to everything that I don't have. Movies are no good. The closest theater is almost two hours away. But with music, all I have to do is turn on my radio and I get to hear all these different people and songs. I get to feel a little like I'm out there in the real world and not just sitting on a farm."

"You don't meet too many birds who care about music too much," John replied. "You ever get to see any of them?"

"Oh, only on television, but we don't have one in our house. I get to see some things when I go to my friend's homes. I saw Elvis play on the Ed Sullivan Show, and Buddy Holly and the Crickets too."

John pointed a finger at Holly. "That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. We just don't have access to that here."

"Yes, but you must have your own music scene happening here," Holly countered. She was hoping to get John on the subject of his own music.

Cynthia joined in, "Yes, John actually has his own band. He's been playing for a few years."

"Really?" Holly tilted her head with interest. "What kind of music do you play?"

"Well, it's kind of a skiffle group. A mix between blues and folk music with rock n' roll in there too. I play guitar."

Holly, John and Cynthia continued to talk more about music and the differences between American and English bands. Occasionally John would get up and join the group of boys around the dartboard or one of the boys would join them at their table. Stu Sutcliff ended up sitting at their table for quite awhile. Holly recognized him before John even introduced him. 

After over an hour, Cynthia commented that she needed to get home and John offered to walk her to the bus stop. Goodbyes were said, and then Holly sat alone with Stu for a bit. She asked him questions about his art and his involvement with John and his music, all the while glancing at the door for any sign of John. 

Fifteen minutes passed, then twenty. Holly worried that she had blown her one chance to talk to John about why she was here. When Holly was about to leave, certain that John wasn't coming back, she heard the door open and turned to see him walking in. He walked up to their table and said something to Stu in such a strong accent that Holly couldn't understand him. The two of them laughed, and then John sat down.

"You need help getting back to where you're staying?" John nodded towards Holly.

"Um, well, I suppose I could use some help finding the right bus. I do tend to get confused with all these buses coming and going." Holly was intent to get John alone and this was the perfect chance. 

"Come 'ed, then," John said, and stood up. 

She wasn't sure if John was being polite or if he was just trying to get rid of her now that Cynthia was gone, but none of that mattered. This was Holly's chance to tell John who she really was.  She stood up and followed him to the door.

"What bus do ya need?"

"Well, I suppose that's part of the problem," Holly laughed. "I have no clue what bus route I need. The bus I took here let me off on Hope Street near the Cathedral, but I have no idea what bus I need to take back."

John sighed. "Well where are you staying?"

"It's a small place in Toxteth. The Royal Hotel on Admiral Street?" Holly answered.

"Tocky? Well I'll walk with you down to Hope Street and maybe you can get things figured out by then." John seemed a bit annoyed.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." Holly had heard the word tocky a few times and understood it to be some sort of slang for the Toxteth area. "And you should let me pay you back for that Coke."

"Don't bother. It was Cyn's money, anyway," John said as he stuffed his hands in his pants pockets. After a moment of walking in silence he asked, "So how does a bird like you get so into rock n' roll music?"

Holly dove headfirst into this opportunity. "Well, I suppose it's a bit of a long story." She paused, "You likely wouldn't believe it anyway."

"That so, huh?" John looked at her sideways.

"Well, it's a bit of an interesting tale, I suppose."

"Try me."

By this point they were nearing the Cathedral. Holly saw her opportunity and made a swift turn into a garden-like area which contained some benches. "Sit with me for a minute?" she called after John.

"What? I don't want your damn life story," John said with a disturbed look.

"I'm not going to give you anything close to my life story. Just sit for a minute. Please?"

John begrudgingly joined her on the bench, pulling his hands out of his pockets and leaning forward, resting his chin in his palms. He turned his head, looking at Holly expectantly.

"Well, like I said, it's a bit unbelievable," Holly began. She leaned forward, leveling her head with John's. "Other than thinking I'm absolutely insane, what would you say if I told you I was from the future?"


	10. I WANT TO TELL YOU

July 2, 1958 

Holly settled in the lumpy hotel bed, arms crossed behind her head, playing the past few hours in her mind, over and over again. The room was dark except for the combination of the moon and a soft street lamp shining in through the window. She thought back to the days, weeks, and months leading up to this trip back in time. All the planning and meticulous research she had done had led her to a pivotal moment, sitting on a park bench in the greenery next to Liverpool's Gothic-style Cathedral. 

Rolling over, Holly tried in vain to find a comfortable position, thinking about tomorrow. Outside, the occasional car or bus passed by and it sounded like it might be raining. Tonight, sleep came a little easier than the previous night. The nervous apprehension she felt 24 hours ago had lessened and Holly fell asleep to the sound of soft rain hitting her window and the pavement outside. 

~~~~

John looked directly at Holly as he straightened his body, still sitting next to her on the bench. "Very funny. Did Stu put you up to this?"

"No, not at all. I know this sounds utterly crazy, but I promise you I'm not making it up. I know all about you." Holly straightened up to bring her eyes closer to John's. 

John stood up from the bench. "Yeah well, you can find your way to the bus then. Bloody fortune teller's don't need help do they?" He took a few steps away, towards the main sidewalk.

"You have a friend named Paul McCartney in your band," Holly said, still sitting on the bench. "Just recently you let his friend George Harrison join too, even though you think he's way too young. He played "Raunchy" for you on the top of a double-decker bus and, even though you didn't want to admit it, he was too talented to pass up."

John was standing about five feet in front of her, having stopped and turned to her as she spoke. 

"Well, Stu _did_ put you up to this, then," he spat.

"No. He didn't."

John turned and began to walk off again. Holly knew this was a do-or-die moment, so she resolved to pull out all the stops. No sense in giving up now. She'd gotten too far.

"I'll prove it to you," she called after John. "Come back for just a moment, please!"

John didn't stop.

Holly looked around quickly. They seemed to be alone in this area of the green garden path. People were nearby, walking down the sidewalks on the other side of the garden, but none were close enough to notice Holly or John.

"John! Look at me, please!"

John turned his head towards her and was in the middle of telling Holly to "Fuck off," when he stopped mid-word. Holly was holding her smartphone in her hands, trying to shield it from every direction except John's. She had pressed the home button and the screen was brightly lit up, displaying the time, 5:57pm, and a scenic picture of New York City's skyline.

"What the bloody hell is that?" John asked and he took a few steps towards Holly.

She quickly stuffed the phone back into her handbag and looked straight into John's eyes. She lowered her voice as John got closer. "It's my proof. I'm not lying. I really am from the future." 

"Show me that... that thing again. What is it?" John asked, standing in front of her at the bench.

"Is there somewhere we can go that isn't quite so public?" Holly asked.

John let out a loud laugh. "Is that what this is about?" he blurted. "You could've done with a heap less theatrics to try and get me in bed."

Holly let a small laugh escape. The fact that she was 39 and John was currently 17 made his comment funny and horrible, all at the same time. Turning serious again, Holly responded, "I'm not trying to do anything like that! If I'm just trying to get you in the sack, explain what the thing was that I just showed you!"

John had no answer for that. He simply looked at Holly and then down to her lap where her handbag was sitting. 

"So, is there anywhere nearby that we could go that isn't quite so surrounded by people? I only have my hotel room and I doubt it would look very good, me bringing you there," Holly said with an apologetic smile.

John returned to his seat next to Holly and leaned forward again, resting his chin in his palms just as he had when they first sat down. He was silent for a few minutes. "Stu has a flat just a couple blocks away. That way." He finally said, pointing a finger in the direction away from the Cathedral. "I s'pose we could go there. But only if you show me that thing in your bag again."

"That sounds perfect." Holly already knew that Stu's flat was nearby. "Let's go there and I promise to show you the thing that I put in my handbag."

It took them less than five minutes to walk from the bench they were sitting on to the front door of Stu's flat on Percy Street. John opened the door with a key he had on a key ring in his pocket. All the lights were off when they first walked in and John flipped the switch on the wall before closing the door behind them.

The flat was small and furnished somewhat eclectically - an artistic version of a typical bachelor pad. There was a small couch and, in front of it, a wooden crate turned on its side as a makeshift coffee table. On it were a collection of full ashtrays, empty beer bottles, and an assortment of art supplies. The walls were covered in artwork. Painting canvases were scattered throughout the main living area, some larger ones leaning up against the walls and smaller ones sitting on easels or on furniture. 

Holly stood by the front door as John walked into the room. He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and removed a cigarette from the pack, lighting it with a match from a matchbook on the crate-turned-coffee table. 

"So? What are you waiting for, then?" He plopped down on the brown leather couch which looked like it had seen better days. Moving a small pile of various papers and other items, he patted the seat next to him. "Go on. I brought you here like you asked. Now it's your turn."

Holly walked over and joined him on the couch. She looked into his eyes and said carefully, "Before I start this, you have to understand that you absolutely cannot talk about this with anyone else. Okay?"

John took a drag from his cigarette and simply nodded, ending with a direct motion towards the handbag Holly had placed in her lap. She slowly unzipped it and carefully took out the phone. 

"So what the hell is that?" John asked.

"Well, it's many things," she began. "It's a phone, a camera, video camera, a radio, a tape recorder..." 

"You're a bloody blagger!" John interrupted.

"Um, what?" Holly had no clue what a blagger was, but it didn't sound good.

"You're lying. That little box can't be any of those things. It's too fuckin' small."

Holly pressed the home button on the phone, lighting up the screen again as she had back by the Cathedral. John reached his hand over, trying to take the phone from Holly's hand. She immediately pulled away, not letting him.

"Hey!" Holly exclaimed. "I'm going to show you how it works, but you can't just grab it from me, all right?"

John's facial expression looked like he was holding back some less than pleasant responses, but he simply pulled his hand back and took another drag from his cigarette before smashing it into the ashtray on the makeshift coffee table. 

"This is simply the lock screen," Holly explained. She held her thumb on top of the home button for a few seconds, allowing it to register her thumbprint and unlock the screen. Suddenly the screen was full of small boxes, all different apps.

"... the fuck...?" John mumbled. "How did you do that?"

"I'm not going into every detail of how this works. I'm sorry, I just can't." 

Holly touched the small icon which housed some of the hidden information on her phone. A hidden music app opened and revealed a music library. She selected "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry and touched the play button. 

Suddenly the sound of guitar music was emanating from Holly's hands. John's jaw dropped. He stared at the phone and then at Holly, ultimately returning his gaze to the phone as Chuck Berry's voice began singing about deep down in Louisiana. She let the song play for a few more seconds and then stopped it. She scrolled down and touched the screen again. Suddenly the voice of Jerry Lee Lewis filled the air, "You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain..."

John was still speechless. His head began to bob up and down, very faintly, to the beat of the song but his eyes never left the phone's screen. Holly stopped the song after a few more seconds and neither of them spoke immediately.

Finally, John's voice broke the silence. "'Ow'd you do that?"

Holly gave a small, amused smile. "Well, I've told you. I'm from the future. Basically everyone owns one of these things where I'm from. Or when I'm from."

"That could just be some fancy new gadget from America or something." John was obviously trying to make sense of everything happening.

Holly chuckled. She closed the music app and opened up another one Tyler had hidden secretly within the facade of another app. Small thumbnails of photos filled the screen, each one a different folder. Holly touched the first one and suddenly the screen was full, displaying a picture of John and his Aunt Mimi from approximately 1965. She tilted the screen towards John.

"This photo was... or rather will be, taken in 1965," Holly explained. "This isn't just some new gadget from America. At this point, there's not much more I can do to prove to you that I'm telling the truth."

Holly wasn't sure if John even heard her words. He was completely transfixed on the phone, staring and periodically tilting his head one way or the other, obviously trying to understand what he was seeing. 

"How....?" he finally mumbled. "That... How is it... '65...," John continued to speak in broken words. "How do you have a picture of me from 1965?" he finally managed to get out.

"Because I'm not from this time. I'm from many, many years from now, in the future. This photo of you and your aunt was taken decades before I was even born."

Still staring at the picture on the phone, John began rambling again. "But that's... How do you... Why do you have a picture of me and Mimi?"

"Because I'm here specifically to find you and make contact with you. I have these things with me because I knew I would need to somehow prove that what I'm saying is the truth." Holly was trying to look into John's eyes but he was not meeting her gaze. "I know all of this sounds almost impossible, but it's real."

Holly spent the next fifteen minutes trying to answer the questions that John was throwing at her. Some questions were easy, others were things she just couldn't answer for fear of affecting the events that were to come. 

"How do you know so much about me?" John asked. "And why do you know so much?"

"Well, this is where it gets a little complicated," Holly responded.

"Because it's not already complicated, then?" John looked at her with wide eyes, removing another cigarette from the pack, lighting it, and taking a long drag.

"Okay, well this is where it gets a little more complicated," Holly replied. "There is an event that happens many, many years from now, and it involves you. I'm trying to stop that event from happening." Holly paused to make sure John was listening and understanding. "I need you to recognize me, to know me, in order to do that."

"What event?" John asked. "What are you trying to stop?"

"That's a question I can't answer right now." 

"Why?"

"I'm sorry, but I just can't. I can't risk changing anything more than I already am. If I go and tell you everything about your life, or about things that happen in the coming years, it could affect how you live your life. It could change the way you look at things or the decisions you make." Holly sighed softly as John shook his head and ran his fingers over his hair. "I promise that I will be able to tell you more about why I'm here as it gets closer."

Neither of them spoke for a full minute. Holly was trying to gauge what was going through John's mind. Finally, he broke the silence. "Show me something else. Another picture."

Holly unlocked her phone again and looked within the same folder that contained the photo of John and Mimi. She touched a small thumbnail of John and Stu, both sitting at a table littered with beer bottles and glasses. Holly knew this photo was from their time in Hamburg, which wouldn't happen for another few years. She was careful not to show John any pictures of The Beatles or Cynthia or Julian. Not yet, at least. If John were to find out that he became famous because of his band it might cause him to not work as hard, thinking everything was a sure bet. And that could unravel the entire thing.

"Me an' Stu..." John said, as he started at the screen. 

Almost as if on cue, the front door to the flat opened, startling both John and Holly. Stu walked inside and seemed equally as surprised to see Holly and John sitting on his couch. Holly had quickly stuffed her phone into her bag as the door was opening. She realized what it must look like to Stu; her and John sitting on the couch, startled, looking as if they had been caught red-handed. 

"You wanna bloody knock, ye fuckin' divvy!?" John barked at Stu as he stood up from the couch.

"Knock on me own fookin' door? Sod off, ya arse!" Stu replied and he walked past them to the bathroom, stumbling a bit. It appeared he was a tad drunk.

John paced in front of the couch for a second and then looked at Holly and barked, "Come 'ed. Let's go."

It was getting dark outside when they walked out onto the sidewalk. Holly looked at her watch which read 7:13. John had continued to walk down the sidewalk, not noticing that Holly had stopped to check her watch and also examine the contents of her handbag, now zipping it up from when she had stuffed the phone inside. She had to walk double time to catch up with John. 

"I'm sorry if that's going to cause you any trouble tomorrow. I can try to talk to Stu if you'd like? Tell him there was nothing inappropriate going on?" Holly said.

"No need. He won't even remember that tomorrow."

They walked for a few minutes until they were standing near the garden area where this had all began, just over an hour ago. 

"I guess it's getting a bit late?" Holly asked. "We could meet again tomorrow before I leave."

"Leave? Leave to where?"

"Well, to find you again."

"You have to leave me to find me again?"

"When you put it like that, yes, I guess that's exactly what I have to do," Holly chuckled. "But please, can we meet again tomorrow? I could come to Mendips... or meet you around here again?"

"You know where I live," John said matter-of-factly. "Course you do." He ran his hand over his hair again, messing up the pompadour curls at the top of his head. "Don't go there. Mimi'd ask too many questions. Me an' Stu have class tomorrow but I'll just sag off. Come to his flat again. He'll be in school."

"Okay, what time?"

"I dunno. Half ten?" 

Holly nodded but then stopped and looked at John. "Wait, does that mean thirty minutes before or thirty minutes after 10 o'clock?"

"After. 10:30," John responded and crossed his arms. He looked a bit upset but trying to play it off as if he wasn't.

"Okay, that's perfect. I'll meet you at 10:30 tomorrow morning," Holly said. "At Stu's."

There was an awkward silence as they stood there together. 

"I know I said this earlier," Holly said, breaking the silence, "but you can't mention any of this to anyone."

"Yeah, as if they would bloody believe me. I go spouting off shite about some bird from the future and get the piss taken out of me. Don't worry."

"All right. Well, I'll see you tomorrow morning then." 

When Holly arrived back at her hotel room, she sat down on her bed. This day had gone smoother than she had anticipated. She just hoped that Stu wouldn't say anything about finding her and John on his couch. Perhaps John was right and he was drunk enough that he wouldn't even remember. Cynthia had been so nice and Holly didn't want her thinking that anything inappropriate had happened between her and John.

Laying in bed as it rained outside, Holly thought about her meeting with John in the morning. She knew she would have to leave soon after meeting with him, jumping years ahead to find him again. She lay there, thinking about her next time jump and waiting for sleep to come.


	11. TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS

July 3, 1958

Holly paced on the sidewalk in front of Stu's flat for a few minutes before finally sitting down on the step in front of the door. It was 10:41 AM and no one had answered the door when she knocked. Last night's rain had stopped but the sky was still quite overcast, and Holly worried that she may end up getting rained on if John didn't show up soon. 

Holly tried to situate herself on the step so she wasn't flashing anyone. She was wearing a pleated, coffee colored skirt that fell just below her knees and a light blue button-up blouse. Earlier that morning, she had attempted multiple times to style her hair by putting a thick headband around the front of her hair and then teasing it behind the band, but she worried that all her efforts simply made her hair look messy. Nevertheless, she had been dressed and out the door, heading to the bus stop on the corner just after 10:00 AM. Holly caught the same bus as yesterday to the Cathedral and walked to Stu's flat, getting there a few minutes before 10:30.

At 10:46 Holly saw a familiar silhouette a little over a block away, walking towards her. She sat and waited until she was sure it was John before finally standing up. He looked a little less put together than when she left him. His hair was a bit unkempt and he looked tired, possibly even hungover, as if he had just woken up. 

"Big party last night after I left?" Holly teased.

"Buggar off," John replied. 

"I'm sorry," Holly chuckled. "You just look really tired. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Well I am tired. It's a bit hard to sleep after you find out some future girl is in town." 

John unlocked the door and Holly followed him into the flat. It appeared as if she might have been correct with her joke about a big party. There were many more beer bottles scattered around the room than there had been when she left last night. Holly looked at John and raised her eyebrows.

"I'm guessing you came back here after sending me off on the bus?" Holly inquired.

"Yeah well, my options were to go back to the pub and get pissed or come here and get pissed. This place doesn't charge me for bevvies." John sat on the couch and lit a cigarette. He was obviously having a difficult time rationalizing everything that had occurred over the past 24 hours.

Holly walked around the room looking at all the artwork on the walls and scattered throughout the space. Some of the framed items on the walls were photographs and others were paintings. With all that was happening last night, she hadn't gotten a chance to really look at all the art in the flat.

"Is all of this Stu's work?" Holly asked, motioning to the various canvases, all in different degrees of completion.

John looked up. "Yeah, most of it. He's bloody boss at painting, that. Gonna be famous one day."

"Yeah, he definitely has a real talent." Holly let out a small sigh, knowing that Stu wouldn't live long enough to become a famous artist. His art really was quite good though. Holly had never seen any of it before. 

John continued to smoke on the couch and Holly made her way over to him, sitting down next to him just as she had last night. Both of them were silent until Holly finally spoke. 

"Would you like tea or anything?" Holly asked. "I'm afraid I don't know much about making it, but if there's a kettle somewhere, I could probably manage to boil some water."

John looked at her and took a long drag on his cigarette. "So the future doesn't have tea, then?"

"No, there's plenty of tea in the future," Holly laughed. "Americans just never quite got into the whole kettle and tea leaves thing, I'm afraid."

"Shame," John replied. 

They sat in silence again until John finished his cigarette. Holly was surprised at how comfortable the silence was. Often, especially with people she had just met, moments of silence could be incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. 

John was the one to break the silence this time. "So you're leaving then?"

"Yes. Well, not right this second, but later today, yes."

John looked at her. "To go find me again. Where?"

"That's part of why I wanted to see you again this morning. It'll be five years before you see me again."

"Where are you going for five years?" John looked at her puzzled.

"I'm not going anywhere for five years. I'm jumping ahead five years. It will be five years for you, but only a couple of days for me, depending on how long it takes me to find you once I get there."

John ran his hands over his hair. This seemed to be a common gesture for him when he was confused or frustrated. "Five years for me. Couple-a days for you," he repeated.

"I know how confusing this must sound. A lot can happen in five years. I just need to make sure that you'll remember me - that you'll recognize me when you see me again." Holly laughed a little. "If it helps, I'll look exactly the same as I do now."

"How the hell would I not remember you?" The two of them sat in another silence and Holly pulled out her phone. John's eyes went directly to it. "What else is in that thing?" he asked.

Holly unlocked the phone and went into the hidden music library. She scrolled until she found the song she was looking for - Chuck Berry's song, "Let It Rock." It wouldn't be released for another two years. 

"I'm going to show you something that doesn't exist yet. It won't for another couple of years," she said to John. "Here, touch the screen right here, on the little triangle." She moved the phone closer to John.

He squinted at the screen and then at Holly. "Just touch it?" he asked.

"Yep."

John reached out and pressed on the screen, directly on the play button, and guitar music poured from its speakers, followed by Chuck Berry's voice singing " _In the heat of the day down in Mobile, Alabama..._ "

Holly let the song play for a full minute before stopping it. "That song hasn't been written yet, so don't try to talk to about it anyone. You can try to look for it but it won't exist for two more years." 

John shook his head and removed another cigarette from the pack. He leaned back into the couch after lighting it. "So, in five years, where am I?"

Holly knew she couldn't give him any information about where he was and what he would be doing in 1963 - the year that Beatlemania begins to take over England and most of Europe. "Don't worry about where you'll be, just worry about making sure you remember me when you see me again."

"Five years... so, sixty-three?" John asked, counting years in his head. 

"Yes. Towards the beginning of the year. February," Holly answered. "Maybe you can remember me as being that lovely Christmas telegram you joked about yesterday," she laughed.

Holly and John stayed in Stu's flat talking until almost noon. John brought up his mother, Julia at one point, asking to see a picture of her in the future. Holly cringed inside as she told him she didn't have anymore pictures she could show him right then. Julia would be killed in less than two weeks and Holly couldn't say a word to warn John about it. When John mentioned that Stu may come back for lunch soon, they agreed that they should probably leave. 

"I'm sorry I can't give you more information yet," Holly said, "but I promise that the next time you see me I'll be able to tell you a little more."

"Yeah, so, see you in five years, then," John responded.

"And I'll see you in a few days, hopefully."

They parted ways on Percy Street, outside of Stu's flat and as Holly was walking away, she turned back to look at John. He was smoking another cigarette and watching her walk away. She could barely imagine what must be going through his mind right then. 

Back in her hotel room Holly gathered all her belongings, making sure not to leave anything behind. Her bag was harder to zip than before, now stuffed with new items like the bathrobe and new dress that she purchased at Blackler's. She pulled out her tablet and removed one of the circular orbs from its protective box. She scrolled through numbers and months in the app that controlled her time jumps, ultimately entering the date Feb. 9, 1963 and the location of Paris, France. 

Holly had argued with the team over the location and timing of this particular jump. She couldn't ask for Liverpool, or anywhere in England for that matter, because the team wouldn't have approved it. Each jump was to be in a drastically different location than any of the other jumps. Holly was just thankful that the team had agreed to a location in Europe for this upcoming jump, but it made things a bit harder for her - having to first come up with where and when John could be easily reached, and then having to figure out travel to that location from where her time jump placed her.

Throwing her bag over her shoulder, Holly picked up the orb from the dresser where she had placed it as she entered the information into her tablet. She crossed her fingers that she wouldn't end up in the middle of a busy street or something worse. Taking a deep breath, Holly touched her finger to the screen of her tablet, syncing it with the orb. She felt a warmth begin to come from deep within her and she smiled as she saw the colorful light show begin again in front of her eyes.

~~~~

February 9, 1963

As Holly became aware of her change in surroundings, she quickly looked around trying to figure out where she was. It was not a busy street, thankfully. In fact, it wasn't a busy anything. Holly was standing in what appeared to be a small backyard or possibly a courtyard. 

The sun was struggling to peek through some heavy cloud cover and there was the sound of traffic nearby. After taking in her surroundings, Holly realized how chilly she was. It was February after all. She removed the only jacket she had from her bag and put it on. 

Making her way out of the yard, Holly easily found the road where the traffic sounds were coming from. It was then that she realized that the area she came from was definitely not someone's backyard. She was standing next to the Hôpital Saint-Louis - a hospital. The area she materialized in was a small garden courtyard between hospital buildings. 

There were plenty of people walking past and Holly was able to get the attention of an older lady passing by. 

"Excusez-moi. Gare du Nord?" Holly asked in horribly butchered French. She knew less than ten French words and three of those included the words Gare du Nord: the name of the train station she was trying to get to. 

"À travers le canal," the woman said. "Sur la rue Maubeuge."

"Rue Maubeuge?" Holly repeated. "Do you speak any English?" She knew the word rue meant street, so the following word would indicate the name of the street, but that was all she understood. 

The woman pointed her finger multiple times, indicating it was more than just a few blocks away. "Come," she said to Holly, taking her arm and pulling her gently. At the end of the block there was a short bridge crossing over a narrow body of water. 

"Oh, the canal," Holly exclaimed, remembering the woman's words from a few moments earlier. 

"Walk," she said again, pointing across the bridge. "Walk Rue la Fayette." Her English was a bit broken but still far better than Holly's French. 

"Rue la Fayette," Holly repeated. "Thank you. Merci."

"De rein," said the woman, and Holly assumed that meant 'you're welcome.' 

Holly crossed over the bridge and found la Fayette Street. After asking another pedestrian for help, she managed to find the train station after walking for about 20 minutes on la Fayette Street. Once inside, she made her way to the first counter she saw and asked if anyone spoke English. Thankfully there were a multiple people that did, and Holly explained that she was trying to purchase a ticket for the Night Ferry to London. 

During her research prior to her time travel, Holly learned that the Night Ferry was a sleeper train that traveled nightly between Paris and London. It left from the Paris train station and was then loaded onto a train ferry, which sailed the train cars across the English Channel, then deposited them back onto train tracks which would take them the rest of the way to their destination. A plane may have been quicker, but Holly read too many stories about plane crashes and technical issues with aircrafts in the 1960's and felt safer staying on the ground. 

With her ticket purchased, Holly had many hours to kill. The train didn't leave until 9:45 that evening and, according to the clock inside the train station, it was currently 5:25 PM. She spent her time walking through the nearby streets, first popping into a boutique to buy a more appropriate winter coat and a pair of gloves. She then found a quaint cafe and dined on an assortment of cheeses, olives and crusty bread.

Later that evening, Holly boarded the train and found the sleeper car with the same number listed on her ticket. Most of the passengers boarding the train were relatively quiet and subdued, ready to get to their seats and relax, sleeping the night through as the train carried them to England. 

Holly's night was filled with choppy sleep, as she was awoken many times during the trip. Sleeping in unfamiliar places was never something that Holly did well, and a bumpy train ride did not make this task any easier. She was wide awake when the train rolled onto the ferry in preparation to be taken across the water. 

Individual train cars were separated from each other, and equal number of cars were placed on both sides of the ferry on tracks that were built into the deck. Holly was also awakened when the train cars were removed from the ferry and connected back together to finish the final leg of their journey on British rail lines.

The following morning at 9:13 AM, the train rolled into Platform 2 in London's Victoria Station, coming to a stop with a loud and long squeal. Getting through Customs was far easier than Holly had anticipated. She and the rest of the passengers had been given paperwork to fill out and declaration papers for any items being brought in. Her passport, which had been made by her team to look completely authentic for the time period, caused no issues whatsoever. The man who stamped it barely looked up to see Holly's face before placing the stamp inside. It took less than 45 minutes from pulling into the station to de-board the train, get through Customs, and make it out into the main concourse. 

Holly had given herself a day's buffer, anticipating that she may run into issues with her travel into London, so it wasn't until the following day that she would be trying to reach John and make contact with him. Today, her main priority would be to find a place to stay and catch up on some sleep. 

In the main concourse of London's Victoria Station, Holly spent some time people-watching. She felt almost as if she were walking through a movie set which was made to look like the 1960's. The clothing style hadn't changed much from 1958 but there were some small differences. After a few minutes of observing her surroundings, Holly got in line at a ticket counter and purchase another train ticket, this one taking her to Paddington Station just over two miles northwest. From there, she walked to the Great Western Royal Hotel, located within the same block of Paddington Station. 

Holly was thankful that she received much less hassle booking a room at this hotel than she had earlier in Liverpool. Whether it was the five year difference or the change of city, this time went quickly and easily with no concern of her being a single woman traveling alone. She spent the majority of her afternoon napping and in the evening she went out and found dinner in the area around the train station. 

That night, Holly flipped through the phone book located by the telephone in her room, looking to see if the offices in EMI Studios were listed. Tomorrow, the Beatles would be spending the majority of the day in the studio on Abbey Road, recording most of the songs that would ultimately become the album _Please Please Me_. 

Knowing that John would be in the same location for the entire day upped her chances of getting in touch with him. Putting a call through to the main office was the simplest first step, but Holly knew this would likely not work and she would have to go there in person and hope for the best. The one thing Holly was sure of was that tomorrow was going to be a busy day.


	12. I'LL BE BACK

February 11, 1963

Holly was up with the sun, having slept the better part of the previous afternoon and full through the night. Opening the curtains, Holly looked out into the city of London. She could make out Hyde Park in the distance, the bare treetops and open space a vast contrast to the rooftops and buildings spreading out in all other directions.

It was far too early for her to begin calling Abbey Road, plus she knew John and the others wouldn't begin recording until 10:00 AM, so Holly called down to the front desk and ordered a room service breakfast of poached eggs, toast, sauteed potatoes and bacon to be delivered to her room. 

By 9:30, Holly was bathed and donning a new dress she had picked up during her shopping in Paris while waiting for the train. This new dress was a little uncomfortable. It was long sleeved and boasted thick vertical stripes of navy blue and deep orange. A thick white collar and matching white cuffs at her wrists completed the dress, but felt a bit tight. Holly was getting a bit tired of wearing dresses all the time and was looking forward to a point when she could wear pants and not look out of place. 

10:00 came and went, and at 10:30 Holly picked up the phone in her room, and having found the number in the phone book, dialed the offices at Abbey Road Studios, currently named EMI Studios. 

"Hello, EMI. How can I direct your call?" a woman's voice answered.

"Um, yes hello," Holly stammered. "I am trying to reach a gentleman who is recording in one of your studios this morning. I was wondering if I could get a message put through to him? I'm not quite sure how else to reach him."

"We can't interrupt recordings, miss," the woman responded.

"Yes, I understand. I was just trying to get a message to him. Perhaps one could be delivered during a break?"

The woman audibly sighed. "Who are you trying to reach, miss?"

"His name is John Lennon. He's recording in Studio Two." Holly could hear the sound of papers being rifled through the phone.

"There is no 'Lennon' listed in the paperwork."

"Oh, yes it's likely listed as 'The Beatles.' That's the band's name," Holly explained.

"Yes, well, even so, I'm afraid I cannot interrupt a recording session. No messages can be delivered at this time."

Holly opened her mouth to argue, but realized there was no point. "Oh, well thank you anyway," she said instead and placed the receiver back on the phone's base. 

Holly had been hopeful that it was early enough in the year that the Beatles would still be unknown enough to be reachable. The snowball of Beatlemania didn't turn into an avalanche until after the release of _Please Please Me_ , which they were recording today. She wasn't sure if the secretary was not delivering messages specifically to the Beatles or if those were just the rules for any groups recording at EMI. 

"Well, I'll just have to go down there," Holly said to herself. 

She knew she would ultimately end up at the studio today, regardless of whether or not a phone message would be delivered to John. Holly grabbed a sheet of paper which contained the hotel's name and emblem at the top and carefully wrote on it, choosing her words carefully. 

_John,  
As five years have now passed, I hope your memories of a certain Christmas Telegram are still fresh in your mind and will continue to be in the FUTURE. You are not easy to get ahold of nowadays. I am here in London. Please do your best to contact me. _

__

__

_Holly_

The bus ride to the studio was uneventful. Holly was able to look at the maps and find a bus that would deliver her to Circus Road, a five minute walk to the front doors of Abbey Road Studios. She had timed her travel so that she would arrive around 1:00 PM, the time the Beatles' first session ended and they broke for lunch. 

It was quite cold as Holly walked from the bus stop and turned the corner onto Abbey Road. She pulled her coat tightly around her, and once again wished she was wearing pants since her calves were freezing in the dress.

A few yards before reaching the studio, Holly found herself walking past the soon-to-be-iconic pedestrian crossing. She paused to look at it, standing in awe as she watched a few people cross from one side of the road to the other, oblivious to how famous this crosswalk would one day be. 

Her watch read 12:57 PM as Holly stood looking at the staircase leading up to the building which currently housed John Lennon and the rest of the Beatles. Large letters above the doorway spelled out E.M.I. Recording Studios. 

"Now what?" she thought. 

She couldn't just go inside demanding to see John. Lunch break or not, no one was going to let her into the recording studio. If her phone call earlier that morning was any indication, she would need to come up with something different. 

Suddenly, the door opened and Holly watched two men in suits walk down the steps, presumably on their way to get lunch. She moved out of their way as they walked past her on the sidewalk, following them with her eyes until the sound of the door opening again caused her to turn back around. This time, one man walked out and began the descent down the staircase. Holly recognized him almost immediately from pictures she had seen. 

"Excuse me, Neil?" she called, walking closer to the staircase. She met him as he stepped onto the sidewalk. 

"Yes? Do I know you, miss?" Neil Aspinal, the Beatles' friend and road manager, replied with a puzzled look. 

"No, you don't, but I know you. Well, I know _of_ you. I'm a friend of John's from back in Liverpool."

"A friend from Liverpool with an American accent?" Neil said, raising an eyebrow. 

"Well I'm not _from_ Liverpool, obviously. But that's where I met him. I've known him since '58 when he was in art school." Holly was trying her best to sound nonchalant, as she knew Neil probably saw many girls falling all over themselves to get to the Beatles, even in these early days.  "Anyway, he told me to meet him while he was in London, to catch up since he's been so busy lately, but I can't seem to reach him."

Neil looked at her with a distrustful expression. "Yes well, he's quite busy at the moment, recording and such. Perhaps you can _catch up_ another time then." He began to walk down the sidewalk, away from the studio. 

Holly followed him, matching his stride, her mouth moving as fast as her legs. "Yes, that would be fine as well, but is it possible that you could at least deliver a message to him for me? He truly should be expecting me." When Neil didn't respond, Holly continued her plea. "I realize you must deal with many girls trying to meet the band, but I assure you I'm not one of them. I know him through Cynthia. We hung out at Ye Cracke on Rice Street and with Stu also."

Neil stopped walking and looked at Holly, considering her words. "You know Cynthia as well, then?"

"Yes, but I haven't been able to see her lately either, what with the baby on the way and all."

That bit of information seemed to strike a chord with Neil. He looked at Holly carefully. "Come with me, then. I have to bring back lunch for the boys. They're practicing solid through their lunch break. Won't leave the studio. Help me carry back some food and I'll deliver your message to John."

Holly nodded eagerly and twenty minutes later she and Neil were carrying back large paper bags filled with fish and chips, cheese sandwiches, and an assortment of other foods from a pub down the street. When they reached the stairs leading to the studio, Neil placed his bags on the bottom step. 

"Give me your message. I'll see that John receives it."

Holly reached into her handbag and retrieved the sheet of paper from the hotel, which she had neatly folded in half and then in half again. She handed it to Neil and watched him place it in the breast pocket of his button down shirt, underneath his coat. 

"Let me help you carry these bags up the stairs at least," Holly said as Neil reached for the bags on the bottom step. "I appreciate you delivering the note. Thank you."

Holly watched Neil disappear behind the main entrance door as it closed behind him. She wasn't sure what to do next. It was 1:45 PM and she knew they would begin recording again at 2:30. Neil hadn't said _when_ he would deliver the note, only that he _would_ deliver it. For all Holly knew he might wait until the entire day of recording was over.

Ten minutes passed as Holly aimlessly walked around in front of the studio. Her fingers were fully numb by this point, even inside her gloves. She propped herself up against the short concrete barrier wall separating the sidewalk from the studio property. The coldness of the concrete bled through her dress and onto her skin. It was now fifteen minutes since she watched Neil disappear into the building. Surely someone would be out here to find her by now if Neil had delivered her note. 

"What if he doesn't remember me?" Holly whispered to no one. 

A bus rumbled down the street next to her, pulling her from her worried thoughts. Holly groaned in frustration, pushing herself off the concrete wall. She walked out onto the sidewalk and peered down toward the not-yet-famous pedestrian crossing. Taking a deep breath, she slowly walked in that direction. 

"If I've got to wait around in the freezing cold for John, I'm at least going to walk across the Abbey Road crossing." Holly thought. 

The crosswalk felt smaller than she had imagined. In the photos and on the album itself the crosswalk looked massive, as if it were somehow larger than life. Walking across it, Holly realized it was simply a regular pedestrian crossing. If anything, it was a bit shorter than usual. 

" _Miss!!_ " a voice called out in the distance. 

Holly turned in the direction of the voice but didn't see anyone. She looked around at the buildings and street signs, noting the difference in the English signs from the American ones she was accustomed to. Instead of "Yield," the signs read "Give Way."

" _Miss!! Ma'am? You there! Holly?!_ " The voice now had an owner, and that owner was jogging down Abbey Road towards Holly. It was Neil and he quickly darted across the street. 

Holly smiled and breathed an internal sigh of relief. "Neil. Hello again."

"I was about to lose my job if I didn't find you," Neil sputtered, out of breath from the run. "I don't know who you are, but John practically ran out of the building himself after I gave him your note." He took a few deep breaths and then continued. "If I don't show up with you in tow in the next few minutes, I'll be chasing him down the street. Brian would have my head."

Holly began to thank him again for delivering her note, but she was cut off by Neil. 

"Please, just come with me," he blurted and began to walk back in the direction of the studio. 

When they arrived back at the staircase, the front doors were propped partway open and John's head was poking through them. His eyes widened at he saw her. 

"It really _is_ you, then?" he said as he shook his head. "You look the bloody same."

A huge smile grew across Holly's face. All concerns of John not remembering her were gone. "Well you look a little different. No more leather, huh? You clean up nicely."

John was wearing a long sleeved button down white shirt with a black suit vest over it, a necktie, and black dress slacks. He moved to the side to allow Neil and Holly into the building. 

"You can't come in the studio," John said to Holly as they walked deeper into the building. "Brian'll have his knickers in a twist if I show up with a bird, but I think he's still out at lunch."

"I did my part," Neil said as he put both hands up. "I wash my hands of your funny business, Lennon," and he walked down the hallway, leaving John and Holly standing alone. 

The two of them stood there looking at each other for a moment before John asked, "Did you get shorter?"

Holly laughed. "No, but you likely got a bit taller. And those boots you're wearing have got to add at least an inch or two," she motioned to his feet with her hands, commenting on his "Beatle boots" which she had seen in many photographs. 

"Follow me. You might not be allowed in the studio, but you can come to the canteen. I've only got abar fifteen minutes 'afore I 'ave to be back in there." John's Liverpudlian accent was music to Holly's ears. 

The first thing Holly noticed about the canteen was its checkerboard floor. There were a variety of metal tables scattered around the room. A few were occupied by people finishing their lunches or having tea. John pulled Holly over to a table situated next to a large cigarette vending machine which was mounted to the wall. 

"So it's been five years, has it?" John asked. His teddy boy hairstyle was gone, replaced with a short version of the classic Beatle moptop. Holly always found it amusing that this hairstyle caused so much controversy because the style was so utterly normal looking to her. 

"For you, yes," Holly responded. "It's been three days for me."

"Three days?"

"Yes. I walked away from you in front of Stu's flat a little over forty-eight hours ago. It's been a bit of an adventure getting to you again though." Holly noticed John's expression change when she mentioned Stu. He passed away less than a year ago. 

John's hand went up to his hair and Holly had a flashback to him sitting on Stu's couch, running his hands over his hair in disbelief of all she had told him. 

"Do you have that thing? The box with the pictures and music?" he asked. 

"Yes, but I can't pull it out here," Holly gestured to the people in the canteen. 

John sighed. "Why did you come today? I know it's been yonks, but I really can't break away from recording. And we're here all day."

"I know. But you know what your schedule is like. Knowing that you'd be in one location for an entire day? I figured that was my best bet to get to you." 

Across the room, the door to the canteen opened and Holly looked over to see Paul McCartney walking in. He looked around until he saw John and then bee-lined over to the table Holly was sharing with him. Paul was dressed almost exactly like John, only he was missing a suit vest on top of his white button down shirt. 

"Come 'ed, ya beaut," Paul said to John. "You're on one, running off like that! You oughta leg it back before Brian sees you're missing. We start back up in ten." Noticing Holly, he added a quick "'Ello, luv," and gave Holly a wink. 

"Ay Paulie, you think Bri would mind if she gegged in on the session for a bit?" John asked, motioning his head towards Holly. 

"Are you off your head?" Paul asked. "Brian'll murder you, tryin' a bring a bird in."

John sighed, then stood up. "Come 'ed," he motioned to Holly. "I might get in trouble, but come in for a bit before we start up again." 

Paul walked off in front of them, shaking his head, turning back to say, "Don't muck this up for us, John. This is bloody important."

At the door to Studio Two, John opened it and poked his head inside. Looking back at Holly standing beside him, he said, "Go on, it's just the boys in there now," and Holly followed him inside. 

The studio was a large, open space with a ceiling so high it seemed unreachable. Chairs and stools were scattered about, some with microphones and amplifiers positioned by them, and others without. More chairs, all metal with red upholstered cushions, were stacked in tall columns against one wall. 

Ringo's drum set was sitting in front of a tall wall-like structure with windows cut out of it. Ringo sat behind the drums practicing a few beats while George stood in front of him, picking a tune on his guitar. Neil was standing with Paul's Hofner bass in his hands, tuning it. Paul had returned to the studio a few minutes before them. He was standing in a corner deep in conversation with a gentleman with slicked back hair whose back was turned towards Holly and John. 

"That must be George Martin," Holly said in a hushed voice. 

"How the hell do you know him?" John asked. 

"Let's just say that this album you're recording..." Holly began, then paused, not wanting to reveal too much. "Well, it's a very important step for you guys."

John's face turned serious and he inched closer to Holly, practically backing her into the wall they were standing by. "What does that mean?" he asked. "Is this our break? Do we go big with this?"

Holly avoided John's gaze, trying to decide how to answer that question. Turning back to John, he looked at her expectantly. She finally replied, "I don't think I could even begin to explain what this album sets in motion for you guys, but it's all good things. But don't let that go to your head. Don't half-ass this."

John's eyes squinted a bit, taking in Holly's words. Suddenly a voice cut through all the ambient chatter and music practicing. George Martin was now facing them. "All right boys, we're back at it. John, tell your girlfriend goodbye. She shouldn't even be in here."

"You have to stay. You have to tell me what all that means," John whispered to Holly, still standing against the wall. 

"John, I can't stay here. I can't get you in trouble. I'll meet you when it's all over tonight, okay?"

"We're done at ten tonight. I'll meet you outside. Don't go anywhere."

Holly laughed. "I'm going back to my hotel, that's it. I'll be back here this evening. I promise." She turned to go to the door and then paused, turning back to add, "You're doing 'A Taste of Honey' and 'Do You Want to Know a Secret?' this afternoon, right?"

"How the fuck..." John stared at her and then shook his head. "Ya know what, never mind that. Of course you know." He opened the door leading to the hallway and let Holly step out. "You're deffo coming back, eh?"

"10:00. I'll be here. Go back in there before you get yourself kicked out!"


	13. A HARD DAY'S NIGHT

February 11, 1963

The afternoon may have been cold, but the evening was even colder. It was 10:30 PM and Holly had been waiting outside the studio for about ten minutes. John may have said, 10:00 but Holly knew according to her books it was around 10:45 PM by the time the boys finally wrapped up their recording. 

The streets were all but deserted by this hour, with only the occasional car or bus passing by. Holly paced the open space in front of the main stairs, occasionally jumping up and down in an attempt to get her blood flowing and warm herself up. 

After a few minutes Holly began to hear some voices nearby seeming to come from around the left side of the building. She heard a car engine start, then more voices, and she began to walk towards the side of the building where all the noise was coming from. As she approached the corner a figure suddenly burst forth from the other side of the building running full force around the corner. 

"Oh my God!" Holly yelled, and she held both her hands out in front of her to prevent a collision. 

"Bloody hell!" the figure spat back, barely missing a direct hit. Holly recognized the voice as belonging to John, although it sounded a bit raspier than usual. "You're still here! I was afraid you'd be gone. We kept pissing around and doing more takes. I didn't even know how late it was until we finished."

Holly smiled and gave a small laugh. "I knew that already. I've only been out here waiting for maybe fifteen minutes. 'Twist and Shout' really tore your voice up, huh?"

John sighed and shook his head. "You just know everything then, do you?"

"John! Come on, mate!" a voice boomed from around the building. 

"Come 'ed," John said to Holly. "Follow me."

The two of them walked around the corner to a side lot where a maroon Commer van was idling. Neil and the other boys were loading guitars, amps, and other musical accoutrements inside it. Holly saw a larger man she hadn't met before also loading things into the van, and as he turned around she recognized him as Mal Evans. 

"Where'd you run off to? Tryin' a skip out on loading up, are you?" Paul asked, as John approached the van. Noticing Holly again, he added, "'Ello again, luv."

"I didn't run off anywhere," John responded. 

"Who's the bird?" Paul asked in a hushed voice. "She's the one from the canteen, yeah?"

"Her name's Holly," John answered. "She's, er.... an old friend."

"Old friend, eh?" Paul raised his eyebrows. "Sure, if you say so."

"Don't take the mick, Paul. She's an old friend, all right? A friend of Cyn's from back in art school."

"Yeah, fine, all right. Just grab an amp or something, would ya? We gotta get this bloody van loaded up. It's monkey balls out here." 

Holly laughed at that phrase as John picked up a guitar case. "She's coming back with us so leave room for her."

Paul raised his eyebrows again and shook his head. "Sure, mate. Whatever."

Once the van was loaded everyone crowded in attempting to find room to sit amongst the copious amounts of musical accessories. Mal wasn't joining them. John explained he only helped out occasionally and was heading home to Liverpool to see his wife. 

"Budge up," George said, smooshed between Ringo and one of the cases containing a drum. "Anyone want a bite? I could go for a pie or a buttie. Maybe the pub 'round the corner?"

"Get something at the hotel, mate," Paul answered from the front passenger's seat. "I'm bloody knackered."

"Yeah, me too," Ringo chimed in. "I 'aven't had more than a kip since yesterday, drivin' through the night like that." He pulled a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. "Ciggy?" he offered in John and Holly's direction. 

Holly was sitting on approximately twelve inches of seat squeezed between John on her left, and two guitar cases on her right. The van hit a pothole causing one of the guitar cases to tip, almost landing on Holly. 

"Sorry about that, luv," Ringo said, reaching from the seat behind Holly to try and hold up the guitar case. "I didn't catch your name."

"Holly. And it's okay. I'd be more worried about the guitar than me," Holly joked. 

"Oh gear! An American bird!" Ringo exclaimed. "Where'd you find her, John?"

"Art school," John said flatly. 

"You traveled all the way from America just to go to art school, did you?" Ringo replied with raised eyebrows. 

"She didn't _go_ there. I just met her when _I_ was there. Through Cyn." John was obviously not enjoying answering questions about Holly. 

The van hit another pothole. This time the guitar case along with one of the cases containing Ringo's drums came tumbling over. The former on Holly, and the latter on George.

"Jesus, Neil! What the hell?" John cried. 

"Sorry, sorry! I can hardly see the holes before I'm already in them." Neil called back from the driver's seat. "Everyone all right back there?"

"I s'pose so," George answered, pushing the drum case back behind him. "You okay, there?"

"I'm fine," replied Holly. "Although I'll be much better once we get wherever we're going."

George smiled, "Is right."

The six of them along with all the equipment continued to plug along the road. 

"It's been mad," Ringo described, "all the travel lately. I feel like I haven't slept in the same bed in weeks. We've been playing on this Helen Shapiro tour."

"Yeah we had to take a break from the tour to come here and record the album," George added. "We go back on the road tomorrow to play a few shows of our own. Then we're back on the Shapiro tour again."

"Wow, you guys really know how to keep busy, don't you?" Holly joked.

The van finally arrived at the President Hotel on Guilford Street in Russel Square. According to Neil, their manager Brian Epstein had secured them a set of rooms for the evening so they could rest before getting back on the road. They carried in their personal bags and a few guitar cases, and headed to the group of rooms reserved for them - two double rooms and one single. 

"I'm off to bed," said Ringo with a yawn. "Pleasure meetin' ya, Holly."

"It was very nice to meet you too, Ringo. I hope you sleep well."

George headed back down to the check-in desk to inquire about food at the hotel restaurant. Paul said his 'goodnights,' as well and headed into the double room he was sharing with John. 

"Give me your room for a bit," John ordered Neil, knowing that he would take the single room while the four bandmates split the double rooms. "I just need a few minutes to talk to her. Catch up a bit."

Neil threw both his hands up. "Take the room, John. I don't need to sleep in a bed after you've used it to _catch up_."

Holly tried to contain a laugh as John barked, "It's not like that, man! I just need to talk to her in private."

"Right. Well just take the damn room, John. I'm too knackered to argue."

John opened the door to the hotel room. Holly followed him. The tiny room contained a twin sized bed pushed up against one wall with a small side table next to it. It was very reminiscent of the small hotel room Holly had in Liverpool. At the foot of the bed, a small desk and padded chair were positioned under the only window. John collapsed on the bed, leaning his back against the wall. 

Holly took a seat at the desk. "You look exhausted."

"I am," John responded, loosening his necktie. "We've been going full force for weeks now. I can't remember the last time I slept in me own bed."

"I'm sure that's rough, especially with a baby on the way."

John jerked his head to look at Holly. "Do you really just know everything about my life? How the hell are you such an expert on me?"

"I certainly don't know everything about you, but I do know a lot."

John looked at her from the bed. "The baby," he sighed, "is it a boy or a girl?"

"I really shouldn't tell you. Don't you want to be surprised?" Holly inquired. When John didn't respond, she continued. "I suppose I do know a lot about your life, but that's because I have to if I'm going to make all this work."

"Make what work?" John demanded. "I still have no idea why you're here."

"I still can't give you a ton of information. It's still early and I can't risk changing things in your life too much. Like I said last time, I'm here to change one major thing - something that happens years from now - and it involves you."

"What is it?" John pleaded. "You know all these things about me, about what happens to me, and you won't tell me. This LP we recorded today... what were you saying earlier? It changes things for us? Is this our big break?"

Holly sat quietly for a moment, choosing her response carefully. "In a way, yes. This record is a huge step in that direction. It's a pivotal move for you guys."

"What does that even _mean_?" John urged. "Pivotal how?"

Holly attempted to change the subject. "How did you feel about today? Were you happy with how it went?"

John sighed, "I dunno. I feel like we could have kept going and going. Paul's such a perfectionist about everything and I get that way too. My voice was dodgy on some songs, 'specially by the end. I'd murder someone to hear how it all comes together."

Holly looked over at her handbag, biting her lip. "Well, if you promise not to actually murder anyone I could give you a sampling of it."

John stared at Holly from the bed. "Sampling...?" he began. "You know how the LP turns out! Do you have it?!"

Holly had already reached into her bag as John was speaking. By the time he finished his question, she was holding the phone in her hands. John's eyes were as big as saucers. 

"It's in there. You have our songs in there, don't you?" John asked, sitting up off the wall and moving to the foot of the bed, closer to Holly. 

Holly nodded. 

"Bloody hell! What are you waiting for? Play them!"

Holly worried that maybe she was making the wrong decision, but justified it with the fact that she wasn't necessarily _changing_ anything. The songs were finished and recorded. The album would be mixed and mastered by George Martin and his men, but John's part was done. Playing him a song or two shouldn't affect the album, or the outcome. 

Her fingers danced over the screen until _Please Please Me_ appeared. She touched the screen again and the phone began to sing _"One, two, three, FAH!"_ followed by the sound of guitars.  John stared into the distance, completely unmoving the entire time the song played. 

As soon as the song ended, John jumped up. "Play it again," he ordered. 

Holly obliged, and when it ended again she let the next song begin. _"The world is treating me baaaaaad, misery."_

The two of them sat there listening to the music play softly out of Holly's phone. John critiqued and criticized some parts, while complimenting others. He spoke of specific moments that occurred in the studio earlier that day, but ended with a somewhat sentimental musing. 

"Cor, Stu shoulda been here to hear all this. He woulda been blown away."

Holly placed the phone, now silent, in her lap. "I'm sorry about Stu. I know you were very close with him."

John ran his hand through his hair, "Yeah, he was a....." He paused and looked directly at Holly. "Wait, you know about Stu. Did you know...? When you were here before...." John stood up from the bed. "Did you fucking _know_ he would die when you met me last time?" he barked. 

Holly looked down at her hands, dodging John's accusing gaze. 

"You fucking _knew_ , didn't you?" John paced from the foot of the bed towards the door, then back again. "The entire time you sat there with me in Stu's bloody flat, you fucking knew he'd be dead in a few years. Look at me you daft cow!"

Holly looked up at John, her eyes unwavering. She knew she would end up encountering John's temper at some point, but she didn't think it would be this early on. "Yes, John, I knew. What would have me do? _Warn_ you? I couldn't fucking stop it from happening. I don't want Stu to be dead any more than you do. But I couldn't do anything to stop it."

"My fucking _mum_ died just after you left. Not even two weeks later. I take it you knew about _that_ as well, then?"

"Yes." Holly continued to look directly into John's eyes, unwilling to back down to John's domineering personality. "I can't prevent bad things from happening to you, John. Or to anyone for that matter! Things happen in our lives and those things are part of what make us who we are."

"Oh sack it, you fucking twat!" John bellowed. "You bloody knew Stu would die. And me mum." Holly didn't answer. "You knew. You fucking knew?" 

"I couldn't have prevented it, John. I'm sorry. I'm very sorry you lost those people, but me telling you beforehand wouldn't have _changed_ anything. I can't just go saving everyone, can I? I can't just change everything bad that happens."

John was still pacing back and forth next to the bed. "And why's that, then? You're supposedly here to change something to do with me. That's the _entire_ reason you're here, right? So you can come here and you can decide that _one_ fucking event is worth changing, but everything else isn't?" 

As John spoke, Holly considered his words. In a way he was right. How hypocritical was it that she was here to prevent his death, but couldn't prevent the death of anyone he loved? But when it came down to it, Holly knew that she just couldn't.

"You know what, John?" Holly replied. "You're right. You're absolutely right. It's hypocritical, I know, and I'm sorry. But everything is being tracked. You have no idea the lengths I've had to go through just to get this far. If I could have saved Stu or Julia I would have. But I couldn't do that without risking my own safety and possibly even yours."

"Fuck _off_ with all that!" John bellowed. "You make no bloody sense. Everything's being tracked? Risking your safety? Why the bloody fuckin' hell are you here? Get the hell out an' sod off!" John was yelling at this point and his voice was cracking. It was obvious that he gave everything he had at the recording session. 

Holly stood up from the desk and picked up her handbag. "All right, John. If that's what you want then I'll go," she replied calmly. 

Holly knew that arguing with John was an exercise in futility, so it was better to let him calm down on his own. 

As Holly reached the door, she turned around and added, "But since you asked, the baby is a boy. Congratulations on having a son." Holly turned the knob and escaped from the room before John could respond. 

In the hallway, Holly leaned against the wall. She rested her head on it and looked up at the ceiling. She let out a sigh. She was well aware of John's sharp tongue, and realized that this interaction was likely tame compared to what he could have doled out. 

"All right, luv?" a voice asked. Holly turned to see Paul poking his head out of the hotel room next door. "You and John have a row, did you? Woke me up with it."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Paul," Holly replied. "You know how John can be when he gets in a mood."

"A right pratt he can be, yeah. He talks a lot of rubbish sometimes, but try not to take it to heart." Paul had come fully out of his hotel room, and was now standing in the hallway with Holly. 

"No, it's all right. I can handle myself around him. He just needs to cool off a bit."

"If you need a lift home, I could wake Neil..." Paul offered. 

"Don't be silly! He's as exhausted as the rest of you. If if comes to it, I can get a taxi."

"You sure, luv?" Paul asked, raising a perfectly curved eyebrow. 

Just then, the door next to them opened and John was suddenly standing with them. "Sack it, Paulie. Go back to bed. Leave her be."

"Your bloody voice is why I'm up, ya meff." Paul retorted. "What're you so cheesed off about, any road?"

"I'm not. Just do one and go back to bed, wouldya?"

Paul shook his head and turned back to his hotel room door. "Whatever you're on about tonight, John you're wreckin' me head," he replied and slipped into his room. 

John looked at Holly for a moment before sighing, "Come on, then," and walking back into his room. 

Holly followed him and took her seat back at the desk while John retreated to the bed again. They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither of them wanting to start an argument again. Holly finally gave in and said quietly, "I'm not here to fight with you, John. I'm sorry for the things I can't change."

"It's a boy, then?" was John's only reply. 

Holly smiled. "Yes, a beautiful little boy."

"When do you have to leave?" he asked, his voice no longer angry. 

"I didn't have that quite planned out yet since I wasn't sure if I'd manage to reach you today."

"We're off in the morning. Got a line of shows of our own before we jump back on the Shapiro tour. I have to get some sleep or I'll be a duffer tomorrow." John ran his hands through his hair again. "We're back in Liddypool tomorrow for a bit. Coupla shows back at the Cavern. Can you come with? You could stay here tonight if you like."

Holly looked at the twin bed and then back at John. 

"I'll take the floor," he jestured. "You can have the bed."

"No, it's all right. I have a hotel across town. I'll get a cab. We could both do with a good night's sleep." Holly smiled. "I could meet you in Liverpool tomorrow. Where?"

John thought for a minute. "Come to Mendips. Cyn's staying there, well at least til the baby comes. You could see her again."

"Okay, Mendips. What time?"

"Say, around 2:00? That's when we should be getting back."

"Mendips at 2:00. I'll be there." Holly looked at John and smiled. The anger in his face from earlier was gone, thankfully. She stood up from her chair and gathered her handbag. "I'll see you tomorrow. Tell Neil to look out for potholes!" she laughed. 

"Cheeky," John replied with a tired smile. 

 

It was nearly 3:00 AM by the time Holly walked into her hotel room at the Great Western Royal. In the morning Holly would be back in Liverpool where she first met John less than a week ago. She marveled at the fact that it was five years ago that John first met her.


	14. WHEN I GET HOME

February 12, 1963

The bus stop near Mendips was peppered with a handful of people when Holly stepped off the bus a few minutes after 2:00 PM. Her morning had consisted of walks, trains and bus rides, bringing her from her London hotel to Paddington Station, then to Liverpool, ultimately depositing her onto Menlove Avenue. In total, Holly had spent the better part of four hours either traveling in some form of transportation or waiting for that transportation to arrive. 

Her bag was becoming increasingly heavier and Holly knew she would soon either need to get rid of a few items or perhaps purchase a second bag. She switched it from one shoulder to the other as she stood two houses away from John's aunt Mimi's home. Holly was unsure if she should simply walk up and knock on the door, or wait for some kind of sign that John was already inside. There didn't appear to be a car in the driveway although the gate was closed, and she wasn't close enough to see into the windows past the gate and decorative greenery surrounding it. 

Holly looked down at her watch. John had said to meet him at 2:00 and it was now 2:15. She took a deep breath and decided to walk up and knock on the door. The gate at the end of the driveway was closed but able to be opened with a simple push of the latch. Holly had seen this house so many times in photos and it was somewhat surreal to be standing in front of it. 

Holly gave a _tap tap tap_ on the door and a moment later it was opened. A blonde, very pregnant Cynthia was standing on the other side of the threshold. She wore a loose, pink caftan-like shirt and navy pants that came to her ankles. Navy flats completed the outfit. 

"Oh my goodness, you're here!" she exclaimed. "I couldn't believe it when John told me he ran into you again."

"Yes, its funny how that worked out," Holly replied. "It's been all these years. What are the chances, right?"

"Well please, come inside," Cynthia stepped back into the house to allow room for Holly in the small entryway. "John! She's here!"

As Holly walked inside she brushed against Cynthia round belly. "Just look at you! I can't believe you're going to be a mom!" 

Cynthia rubbed her belly and smiled. "Yes, I can't believe it myself sometimes."

John made his way down the staircase and met the two of them at the bottom, which sat very close to the entryway where they were still standing. "Aye, you found it then?" he asked Holly. 

"Oh, um, yes. Found it with no problem." 

Holly looked around, noticing how small and compartmentalized the house seemed compared to the open floor plans she was accustomed to. Deep red carpet cascaded down the staircase, spilling out onto the hallway of the main floor. 

"Well, come in then. Cyn, tea?" John walked past the entryway and into the sitting room. 

Cyn gave a small nod and a smile and slipped off towards the kitchen. 

Holly followed John, struggling to keep her bag from knocking into the walls. Three large, boxy chairs, each with thick armrests, all faced each other in a semi-circle around a fireplace with a lovely white mantel. John had already plopped down into one chair, slinging one leg over the armrest. Holly set her bag down next to an empty chair and sat down. 

"I was worried you may not be here yet and Mimi might answer the door and throw me out," Holly laughed. 

"Nah," John responded, holding a cigarette between his lips and lighting it. "She's out at the farmer's market for the afternoon. She and Cyn don't see eye to eye most times, so she busies herself with errands a lot."

"That must be tough for Cynthia."

"Yeah," John replied as he exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke. "Eppy gave us his flat to stay in after we got married, but, with me on the road and Cyn getting close to having the baby, Mimi thought she should stay here til the baby comes."

Just then, Cynthia came in carrying a tray with a teapot, cups and saucers, an assortment of milk, sugar and spoons, and a small plate of cookies. 

"I'm afraid these are all the biscuits we have," Cynthia said with an apologetic smile. "Mimi was picking up more on her errands today."

The three of them sat around for an hour enjoying tea and cookies, and Holly tried to remember to call them _biscuits_. Cynthia brought up Holly's earlier predicament regarding her brother and his wife and inquired about how the rest of Holly's previous visit had gone. Holly then asked about the baby and all that was about to happen with having a newborn. Later, John mentioned that Paul would be stopping over soon in preparation for their show at the Cavern tonight. 

"Are you going to the show?" Cynthia asked Holly. "Have you seen them play? They're really quite good."

"Oh, I hadn't really thought about the show," Holly responded. "But I have heard a song or two of theirs on the radio since I've been back. It's all so wonderful!"

"You should come," John said. "Show's sold out, but come with me. Mal or Neil'll get ye' in."

"Are you going?" Holly asked Cynthia. 

"In this state?" she laughed as she rubbed her belly. "Even without all this, Brian's not too keen on me tagging along. Seems he wants the boys to all seem _available_." Her smile faded a bit. "Image and all."

"Well that's a shame," Holly replied. "Maybe I shouldn't go since you're not?"

"Don't be daft!" John cut in. "'Course yer goin'."

"Yes, really," added Cynthia, "you should go. It's quite all right."

They all agreed that Holly would join John and the others and go to the Cavern with them. Shortly after that, Cynthia stood up and excused herself, explaining she needed to get ready to leave for a doctor's appointment. Within ten minutes she was waving goodbye and slipping out the door. 

John and Holly sat facing each other in the large boxy chairs. "Paul'll be here in a bit. Tell me about this son I'm having." John requested. 

"There's not all that much to tell. It's a boy. Healthy. Adorable. All the things that babies are," Holly said with a grin. 

"John junior, ey?"

Holly smiled harder. "Well have the two of you talked about names yet?"

"A bit. I was thinking about me mum, maybe naming it after her if it was a girl. But I suppose you can't call a boy Julia, can you?"

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Holly replied with a grin. 

John ran his hand through his hair, as Holly was accustomed to see him do by now. "That little magical box of yours," he began, "show me. Show me this son of mine."

Holly pursed her lips, ready to give an explanation of why she couldn't, when she remembered John's words from the prior evening. Perhaps she was being a bit too strict with herself. What harm would showing a simple picture cause?

"Okay," she replied. "I can do that," and she reached over to her bag sitting on the floor to retrieve the phone from her handbag buried inside. She pulled up a picture of Julian, approximately two years old, sitting on a small wooden chair, turning to face the camera. John and Cynthia were situated behind Julian, John holding a cigarette in one hand, both smiling for the camera. 

John leaned in from his chair across from Holly. "Cor," he breathed. "That's him?" He leaned in further, squinting, and Holly was reminded that John needed glasses but refused to wear them most of the time. "He looks just like Cyn."

"He's got a lot of you in there too, but he does favor her."

After a brief silence, John sat back in his chair. "So what about this 'pivotal moment' shite you were talking about last night with the album, like?"

Holly sighed, resigned to the fact that she had already given him more information than she had planned, so why stop now? "John, I truly can't even explain all that is about to happen. Your band, well it's about to take off. Please don't take any of it for granted - work your ass off of else it might not work out the way it should - but you're in for the ride of your life. It's more than you could even imagine right now."

Still wanting more, John leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Show me, then. Since you can't explain it."

Holly thought for a moment. "Do you remember the conversation we had in Ye Crack? The one about Elvis and Buddy Holly on the Ed Sullivan show?"

John nodded. 

Holly tapped on the screen of her phone and then turned it to face John. He squinted at the screen, resting his chin on his palms. On the screen was a photo of Ed Sullivan standing in the middle with Ringo and George on one side, and John and Paul on the other, all smiling. "That's Ed Sullivan," Holly said. 

John's eyes inched upwards until they met Holly's. "He comes to England?" he asked. 

Laughing, Holly explained, "No John, you go to America. You play on his show."

"As if," he replied, finding her words impossible to believe. Holly simply nodded. 

There was suddenly a knock on the door and the sound of the knob turning caused Holly to quickly bury her phone back inside her bag. 

"Ev'ryone decent?" a male voice called out and suddenly Paul was walking into the sitting room. 

"Ye ready, mate?" Paul asked, turning the corner into the room. "Oh, you again!" he exclaimed, noticing Holly. 

Holly smiled and before she could respond, John jumped up from his chair to run upstairs. "Be right down. Gotta grab something." Moments later, Holly and Paul were standing in the front yard of Mendips while John locked up. 

"You seem to be everywhere, you," Paul said with a wink. 

Holly laughed and replied, "It does seem that way, doesn't it? John told me to meet him here so I could come see you guys play at the Cavern tonight."

"So you guys made up, it seems?" he asked. 

As Holly was nodding in agreement, John walked up, small tote in hand, and joined them by the gate. He and Paul began a banter between the two of them that Holly couldn't even begin to understand. 

"Didn't your father have a son?" John asked. 

"Oh, aha, I never asked him about his private affairs," Paul replied. 

"Seagoon, of course, of course, yes. I knew your father before you were born!"

"I didn't."

"I wish you had, things might 'ave been different." John gave Paul a solemn look and they both burst out laughing. "You rotten swine," John added. 

Between their thick scouse accents, which somehow became thicker when together, and the unusual slang and phrases that Holly had never heard, it was all but impossible to understand more than the occasional word here or there as they contributed their banter. She simply stood there listening to the pair and chuckling at them. 

"All right, climb in then," John ordered. 

The van Holly had ridden in yesterday was parked in the driveway, and as Holly peered inside, she saw Neil in the driver's seat. She climbed in first with John and Paul following her. The van was still quite full with musical equipment and Holly was thankful she had left her large bag at Mendips, but as always, her handbag was draped over her shoulder. 

"White Star?" Paul asked, looking at John. 

"Nah, has to be Grapes," John responded, nodding his head in Holly's direction and pulling a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket. 

"Ah, right," Paul responded. "Giz a ciggy?" He reached his hand out and John deposited a cigarette into it. 

The sun had been shining throughout the day helping to make the chilly temperature more bearable, but as it began to set in the February sky the chilly breeze was becoming more noticeable. A cold waft of air came in through the open van window as both John and Paul puffed smoke into the evening air. 

It took fifteen minutes of driving before the van was turning on to Mathew Street, a narrow street with a slight curve to it, lined with buildings on both sides. There was a long line of girls which had already formed farther down the road outside The Cavern, most of them bundled up and huddling together in groups. Some were chatting and others were helping to do each other's makeup. 

Jumping out of the van, Paul and John made a quick turn into a building with the words _THE GRAPES_ written on it in tall letters and Holly followed them. Once inside, she realized it was a pub and it was quite full already. The lighting was a bit dim but bright enough for Holly to admire the dark wooden panels which lined the walls from the floor up to about head height. The rest of the wall above that was plastered in wallpaper with a repeating teardrop pattern. 

Paul found an empty booth towards the back of the pub, and John and Holly followed him to it, Paul sliding into the seat across the table from the two of them. 

"The others'll be at the White Star, then," Paul said. 

"They'll come here when they see we're not there," John replied. 

"What's the White Star?" Holly asked. 

"Gear pub 'round the corner," Paul answered. 

"No birds allowed though," John added. "Cyn's always brassed off about that."

The next couple of hours were filled with lots of alcohol, with George and Ringo joining them shortly after their arrival. Mal showed up a bit later and he began to round the boys up, knowing they would need to get ready for their 8:00 show at the Cavern soon. 

Being such a large and looming man, Mal ushered Holly and the four boys down Mathew Street and past the line of girls which had grown shorter as many had made it inside by this point. The entrance to the Cavern was small and unassuming with a steep staircase leading down to the basement club. The group quickly brushed past the girls in line, causing many of them to squeal with excitement. 

"Evenin' Paddy," Mal said to the doorman. 

"She's with us," John added, motioning to Holly. 

Once inside the cramped club, Neil, who was already there, soon found the group. He turned to Holly and explained, "You'll have to stay out here while the boys get ready." Turning to the four boys he added, "Brian's already back there waiting for you."

"Meet us at the stage when it's all over," John leaned towards Holly. "I'll bring you back."

With that, Holly was left alone among a growing number of girls there to watch The Beatles play. It was hot and musty inside, a steep contrast to the brisk air outside. The smell of sweat and the occasional waft of bathroom smells filled the air. The ceiling was a curved wall of bricks, as were the curved alcoves on either side of the space between the stage and where Holly stood. 

She made her way towards the stage, nudging her way through groups of chatting girls, until she was near enough to one of the alcoves to duck inside it. There were chairs lined up in rows, starting a few feet from the stage and spanning back as far as they could fit. Most were already filled with girls sitting, primping and gossiping. Holly situated herself under the curved slope of the alcove closest to the left of the stage, and leaned against the wall, trying to get comfortable.

Ringo's drums were already set up on the stage, along with a few amps and three microphones on tall stands. Holly watched Neil come out and make a few adjustments on the stage. From the same area that Neil came from, she recognized Brian Epstein as he walked out. He looked extremely well put together, wearing a full suit and tie with short hair which had a bit of a wave in the front. 

The inside of the Cavern was now practically bursting with people, mostly girls, all waiting anxiously to see the band. The temperature was rising by the minute, as there was no ventilation other than the door that they all came in through. 

Moments later, John, Paul, George, and Ringo all walked out onto the small stage. They were all dressed alike in the same look they had while recording - dress slacks, white button down shirts, vests, and ties. In that moment, Holly suddenly had the realization that she was about to watch _The Beatles_ perform. Somehow, during all her interaction with John and the others, it hadn't actually occurred to her that these were literally the Beatles. 

A voice came through the sound system, announcing the band, "Tonight at the Cavern, we proudly present The Beatles!" and suddenly the club was filled with a combination of cheers and guitar music as the band began singing a cover of "Some Other Guy" by Richie Barrett. 

Holly stood there, pressed between the wall and various others standing beside her. Everyone was bobbing their heads, tapping their feet, or clapping along. The air was electric and Holly knew she was witnessing literal history being made. The four of them looked so natural onstage, although much of their rowdy, drunken banter that was present in their early days was missing; Brian Epstein's influence showing through. The entire show lasted a little over an hour and they played a variety of covers and their own songs, ending with "Twist and Shout" which they mentioned would also appear on their upcoming album. 

By the end of the performance, the four men were dripping with sweat, as were most of the audience. The lack of ventilation made the walls and ceiling rain with condensation. Holly nudged her way to the front of the stage which was still crowded with audience members hoping to meet the band. Neil came out and Holly called his name. Upon seeing her, he motioned for her to come to the side of the stage and helped her up, ushering her through a side exit and into the room where the Beatles and Brian Epstein were. 

George saw her first and recognized her from the hotel the previous night. "Hiya," he said with a lopsided smile. 

Holly felt butterflies suddenly forming in her stomach. She may have met George yesterday, but having just seen him on stage brought back her teenage crush from so many years ago. She silently reminded herself that George was currently just a few weeks shy of his 20th birthday. He was literally half her age. 

"Hello again," she replied with a small chuckle and head shake to clear the thoughts she probably shouldn't be thinking. "What an amazing show!"

"Ta," he said with a nod. 

After the four Beatles had changed out of their performance clothes and Mal and Neil had collected their instruments and deposited them into the van, John pulled Holly aside. 

"What'd ya think?" he asked. 

"It was amazing! Really. I've spent my whole life wishing I could see you guys play live. I can't believe I just did."

John gave her an odd look and shook his head. "Your whole life, ey?"

They all headed back to The Grapes and spent some time drinking. Paul was the first to leave, walking out with a young blonde that had spent the better part of the evening sitting on his lap and laughing a bit too hard at his jokes. 

Later, in the wee hours of the morning after Neil had dropped off John and Holly back at Mendips, the two of them sat in the sitting room quietly talking. Cynthia was asleep in the back bedroom she shared with John and Mimi was asleep upstairs. 

"I'm going to have to leave after tonight," Holly said. 

John nodded. "When do I see you again?"

"Another five years for you. It'll be 1968."

"I s'pose I'm some famous rockstar by then?" he whispered. "Dining with Elvis and Chuck Berry, yeah?"

"Only time will tell," Holly joked. "But in all seriousness, five years is quite a bit of time. Do you think you'll still remember me?"

John looked at her over his thick, black framed glasses, which he had put on once they returned home. "Forget you, future girl? Not quite."

Holly smiled. "Okay, well then this will have to be goodbye for a bit then. I'll be gone when you wake up."

"So it's really only a few days for you?" John asked. 

Holly nodded. "Yeah, just however many days it takes me to find and reach you."

"Come here," John said, as he rifled through a drawer nearby. 

Holly cautiously approached him. When he came up from the drawer he was holding an ink pen. 

"I want to test something. Ink shouldn't wash off for a bit. Give us your arm." He reached and took Holly's arm, pushing up her sleeve. With the pen, he drew a squiggly looking figure holding a balloon and under that he signed his name. "Show me that when you find me again. Just to prove it's really only a few days."

Holly looked down at her arm and smiled at his artwork. It looked exactly like the artwork she had seen in her books about him. 

"Deal," she said. "That'll be the first thing I do when I see you again." She sat back down in the armchair. "You should probably go get some sleep."

"All right, future girl. I'll see you in five years, then," John said with a yawn. 

"And I'll see you in a few days, rockstar," Holly replied.


	15. DAY TRIPPER

May 11, 1968

Holly stood in an empty open field rubbing her eyes. She was exhausted. She had barely gotten four hours of sleep before vanishing from Mendips before anyone woke up. 

 

Before heading into the first floor bedroom that he shared with Cynthia, John had sent Holly upstairs to sleep in his childhood bed. She had been extremely aware that Mimi was sleeping only a few feet down the hall. She had no clue if Mimi even knew who she was, much less that she would be sleeping in John's small twin bed in his equally small childhood room. 

Holly had been up before the sun rose, quietly sneaking downstairs and attempting to tuck her head under running water from the kitchen sink to wash out some of the cigarette smoke and dried sweat from the Cavern. Then she was gone, jumping another five years ahead and hundreds of miles away.

 

It was extremely overcast, although the clouds didn't seem like rain clouds. Holly looked around and saw nothing but green open space in all directions around her. She knew she was in Canada. Roxham, Quebec to be exact - about one hour due south of Montreal.

Roxham was a very small town that sat right on the boarder between Canada and the northernmost tip of New York State. The area was mostly forests and open farming fields, a perfect location to materialize in. Being so close to the U.S. boarder as an added perk because Holly needed to get to New York City.

Getting through the Canadian boarder into New York was no trouble at all. Holly really had to give it to her team. All the documentation regarding her identity was top notch. 

From the boarder she was able to catch a bus into Albany, NY where she decided to do some shopping. Fashion had changed drastically between 1963 and 1968, and all the clothes Holly had with her were now horribly outdated. 

She found a local department store and purchased three new outfits, depositing her old ones in a trash can. Donning ballet flats and a new tunic dress in a colorful paisley print Holly found her way back to the bus stop, and then on to New York City. 

John would be arriving in The City today along with Paul, Neil, Mal Evans, Derek Taylor, and "Magic" Alex. They were there to promote Apple Corp, their newly formed company. This gave Holly five days to find and contact John before the group headed back to England.

When Holly arrived in New York City she was hit with a sense of deja vu, but with a twist. This city was very much _New York_ , but at the same time it definitely wasn't the New York that Holly was accustomed to. She spent the majority of the day doing a bit of sightseeing, and taking it all in.

Buildings and structures were mostly the same, but Holly could tell that there were differences. The Twin Towers had not been built yet, although ground had been broken to start the process. Holly was used to no longer seeing those iconic buildings, but what was odd was to not see the _new_ World Trade buildings. It was an ominous feeling to know what would occur in that section of Manhattan so many decades from now in buildings that hadn't yet been constructed. 

Dusk came and went, and soon the sun was gone. It was then that Holly noticed how _dark_ things were. Of course it wasn't actually dark, but there were no bright neon lights or digital LED screens dancing around blasting light from above. The billboards didn't change or move. The large Coca-Cola ad simply sat there, flat on its large board. The light cast down from the streetlights had a yellow tint to it, not the blindingly bright neon tones that were there in her time. Holly stood in Times Square for quite awhile looking around at everything. 

The starkest contrast was the people though. Every single person looked ahead as they walked. There were no cell phones, iPods, or tablets. People focused their attention on what was in front of them and not what was in their hands. 

Holly soon realized that she needed a place to stay for the night and set off in search for a hotel. She found the Hotel Metropole a couple of blocks from Times Square, and was able to book herself into a single room for the week. This visit may be the most difficult one in terms of reaching John, and Holly knew it might take multiple attempts to do so.  
   
   
   
Holly slept in, still quite tired from not having slept much the night before. She knew John would be settled in NYC by now. He and Paul were to spend the day on a boat holding Apple's first board meeting while sailing around the Statue of Liberty. His short visit would be full of meetings and interviews, ending with a final press conference. Holly weighed her options as to what would give her the best chance of running into him. 

She knew that John and Paul were staying at 181 E. 73rd Street in an apartment owned by Nat Weiss, a business lawyer that worked with the Beatles and various other music stars. She found this location to be a tad ironic, as it somewhat mirrored the Dakota's location on W. 72nd St. on the other side of Central Park. 

Holly spent the day aimlessly wandering past the apartment building hoping to catch the group when they left or arrived. By the end of the day she hadn't seen anyone she recognized and retreated back to her hotel, a bit disappointed. 

 

After another night of sleep, Holly set back out in the direction of the apartment on E. 73rd St. Knowing that time was of the essence she decided to stake out the building, planning to stay near the entrance all day instead of periodically walking by. She stopped at a newsstand to pick up some snacks, a bottle of soda, a newspaper, and a few magazines to keep her occupied. 

By 3:00 PM Holly was leaning against the building across the street from the one that John was staying in. She had already devoured the food and drink she brought, and had read through all the interesting articles in the magazines. Looking over the cover of the newspaper Holly finally caught sight of Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans exiting the building. 

"Oh thank God," Holly muttered, shoving the newspaper under her arm. She immediately ran across the street to reach them. "Neil!" Holly shouted as she waved an arm in their direction. "Neil!!"

Both Neil and Mal turned towards her. 

"Neil! Do you remember me? Back at Abbey Road...." Holly began. 

"Sorry, miss. We see many girls. Afraid we don't remember," Mal interrupted. 

"No! _Neil_ , you must remember," Holly exclaimed, ignoring Mal. "The recording of _Please Please Me_? John sent you out to find me after I gave you that note? You said he practically ran out of the studio himself!"

Neil squinted his eyes as he seemed to recall the memory. "Oh yeah," he said with a nod, "I _do_ remember you."

Holly let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank God! I know John is staying here, but he's practically impossible to get in touch with anymore. Can you let him know I'm here?"

Mal gave Holly a suspicious look. He obviously didn't remember her. This wasn't surprising since he didn't have as much interaction with Holly as Neil had. Thankfully he seemed to be letting Neil take the helm of the situation. 

"Does he know you're here?" Neil asked. 

"Yes, and no," Holly lied. "John told me he would be in New York, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it."

Neil gave a small sigh. "All right, come with me. They're upstairs. This is a busy trip. Lots of meetings and all." As he spoke, Holly followed him and Mal back into the building. 

A quick elevator ride and a short walk down the hall, and suddenly Neil was knocking on a door and simultaneously opening it. 

"That was quick," Paul's voice called from within the apartment. 

"John! You've got a guest," Neil called out. 

John's head popped out from what Holly assumed was a bedroom, and her gaze met his. He squinted, and then his eyes went wide. 

"Future girl!" he called out. "Bloody hell, you fucking tart! Took you long enough, didn't it?" His face was plastered with a grin as he walked quickly towards her. 

"Right, then," Neil clapped. "We're off again. Are there any other surprise guests we should be on the lookout for?"

John simply waved him off, taking Holly's arm and pulling her into the living room area. Paul came out from the kitchen to see who the guest was, and another man followed closely behind him. 

Holly recognized him as "Magic" Alex, a man that the Beatles, but especially John, were somewhat enamored with. Holly had read that he was somewhat of a scam artist, making large promises but never delivering more than elementary devices with blinking lights. Even so, he somehow managed to be given the title of head of Apple Electronics. 

"I know you..." Paul began, tilting his head and trying to place her. 

"Future girl's come back! Show us your arm," John exclaimed, grabbing at Holly's arm. 

Holly was wearing a light jacket despite the spring temperatures. This was in order to protect the drawing John had placed on her arm just a few days earlier. She had been meticulous about not getting it wet when she bathed, lest it smear or wash off. 

"Hush with the future shit," Holly whispered, darting her eyes in the direction of Paul and Alex. 

"Aah, they're fine. Alex probably already has a time machine in the works, right?" John looked towards Alex and then back at Holly. "Show us your arm already!"

Holly looked at John and sighed. He looked so different than when she left him just a few days earlier. Gone was the baby face and the Beatle haircut. He now donned his iconic round glasses, and his hair was growing out. It wasn't fully to his shoulders yet, but it framed his face. It was parted down the center, ending around his chin. 

The smell of marijuana smoke lingered in the room, and Holly knew this period of time found all of the Beatles experimenting with every drug imaginable. 

"Can we go in the bedroom or something? Just for a moment of privacy?" Holly asked John in a hushed voice. 

John rolled his eyes, but turned on his heels and went back into the bedroom. She followed him and shut the door behind her. John sat down on the bed and gave her an expectant look. Holly removed her jacket and held her right arm out towards John. He grabbed it with both hands and ran his fingers over the drawing, examining it closely. 

"Fucking hell," he said and then looked at Holly. He licked his thumb and then ran it over the ink, smearing it. "It's really my drawing, then."

Holly nodded with a smile. "You did that three days ago." 

John looked at her. "I guess you do look the same. You haven't changed at all other than your clothes. How old are you, anyway?"

Holly laughed, "Probably older than you think!" She knew John was now 27, but somehow telling him she was nearly 40 sounded like a million years difference. "But seeing as how I haven't even been born yet, I suppose I'm quite younger than you," she laughed. 

Neil and Mal returned after about an hour, bringing with them food, and to Holly's surprise another girl. She was introduced to Holly, but that was unnecessary. 

"This is Linda," Paul said. 

Holly soon learned that this was one of the first meetings between Paul and Linda Eastman. Being friends with Nat Weiss, Linda found out Paul would be staying in his apartment. Nat was able to set up another visit for her. 

The two Beatles' visit was supposed to stay hush-hush, but word had apparently gotten out. Linda mentioned how girls had begun gathering on the street outside the apartment. 

As the evening progressed John and Paul talked about how they spent most of the previous day doing interviews, and dealing with other business regarding Apple. They were to appear on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson tomorrow to promote Apple. 

Marijuana was brought out and joints were rolled as the group all sat around the living room talking and eating. Holly declined when the joint was passed to her, but no one seemed to care. 

After midnight Linda explained she had to leave and get home to her young daughter, Heather. Paul walked her out and didn't immediately return. By this point John and the rest were stoned out of their minds. Alex was going off about a million different electronics he was going to create, and John was listening intently. 

"Aye, show 'im your little magical future box," John suddenly said to Holly, his Liverpudlian accent coming through strongly. "I bet he could make one!"

Holly stared at John in shock. "I don't know what you're talking about," she hissed. 

"Oh, come on future girl," John giggled. "Show us!"

Holly stood up, walking towards John's bedroom. "Come here," she said to him in a stern voice. 

John sighed but obliged, ordering Alex to roll another joint before he came back. 

"What the hell are you doing?!?" Holly half yelled, half whispered. 

"Ah, come off it," John replied. "They're all good. You can trust them."

"I'm not sure I trust _any_ of you right now," Holly countered. "Especially you."

"Oh, here we go then," John said as he fell back onto the bed. "Must stay secretive, yes? Can't tell a soul. You're so fucking _dull_ aren't you?" His voice was becoming louder. "You're no fun. You're just trouble, that's all you are! Do you know what I had to do in order to get Cyn to stop thinking I was fucking you after your last visit? She had it all figured out that you must be some tart of mine."

Holly opened her mouth to speak but was immediately cut off. 

"And you were just _gone_. Cyn swore that meant I was up to no good!" John was now sitting up on the bed, yelling by this point. 

"Don't you dare try and make it out like you're some model of damn fidelity!" Holly yelled back. She wasn't about to let John's temper take over. "Don't sit there and pretend like we don't _both_ know all about your sexual escapades over the years."

John began to speak. 

"And what's more," Holly cut him off, "let's not ignore the fact that you've been meeting and writing to _Yoko_ for months at this point. Are you fucking her yet? I'm sure you're _so_ concerned about Cynthia's feelings regarding all that." Holly didn't even care if the others out in the living room heard her anymore.  

John stared at her, his mouth partly open. The mention of Yoko seemed to catch him off guard. They were not a couple yet, and John was very much still married to Cynthia. 

"You spent your whole trip to India writing her postcards. Hell, you even wanted to bring her there with you!" Holly threw her hands up in the air. "I'm not here to argue with you, John. You should know that by now. But you can't just go throwing around information about me to everyone."

John sat on the bed silently for a minute. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he began to laugh. His laughter continued for many minutes until Holly couldn't help but join him. 

"You're a right bitch, you are," he said. "I knew I liked you for a reason. Maybe I _should_ have shagged you like Cyn thought I had. Cyn never calls me on my shite. Just goes along and puts up with it."

Holly's laughter died down a bit. "Cynthia is lovely and she gave you a beautiful son." She sighed. "You really do need to cut out the 'future girl' shit, though."

"All right, all right," John responded. "Are you staying? How long are you here for?"

"Well I have a hotel room booked until you head back to England."

"Stay a bit then. Do I ever get to find out this damned _event_ you're here to stop?"

"Soon, but not yet. But I'll gladly tell you other things if you'd like."

They spent the rest of the evening talking. Holly did as she promised and answered some of John's questions. They eventually made their way back out to the living room and everyone stayed up into the wee hours of the morning. Holly ended up falling asleep on one of the couches. 

The next day, after only a few hours of sleep, Holly was awoken by the general commotion of people moving around in the apartment. Mal was in the kitchen making tea, and Paul was sitting on the couch across from Holly, leafing through a newspaper. 

"Mornin' luv," he said as he noticed Holly begin to move around. "I remember you now, after all that shouting. You're the bird from way back. Had that row with John in the hotel and then showed up at Mimi's all friends again. You seem to just show up every few years, like."

Holly laughed and stretched her arms over her head. "I suppose I can't argue with that."

The morning went by, and soon Derek Taylor showed up. Both Neil and Mal helped to corral John and Paul, getting them ready and out the door. They were filming the Tonight Show this afternoon, which would air later that evening. 

Holly took the opportunity to head back to her hotel room, shower, and change clothes. John had instructed her to meet them back at the apartment after the filming. 

When she arrived back at E. 73rd St. she noticed that the amount of girls mingling around the building had grown from earlier. She watched multiple girls try and bribe the doormen to get inside, some even offering sexual favors. Mal soon came out from the building, pulling Holly inside. 

John, Paul, and Alex were smoking joints again when Holly arrived. Ideas were being thrown out as to what to do for the rest of the afternoon. John said he wanted to see Central Park. Mal thought the entire idea was dangerous, but John's mind was set.

"Sight seeing?" John asked Holly. "You're coming, right?"

They all headed downstairs and squeezed into a cab that Mal had called ahead for. Neil ordered the cab to drive around for a bit in order to hopefully lose any of the girls that might try to follow them. Then after about ten minutes of circling random blocks the cab let them off at the E. 72nd St entrance to Central Park. 

After a bit of walking, and surprisingly not being recognized, the group ended up by a small lake surrounded by paved sidewalks and benches. Alex was the first to notice the large bronze statue situated nearby and ran up to it. Four shallow steps sat in front of the statue and the words HANS•CHRISTIAN•ANDERSEN were carved onto the top step. 

John and Paul both wanted pictures taken, and Neil tried to get Holly to join in, offering to take the photos himself. 

"Oh, no. No, you should be in them, not me," Holly said. There was no way she could show up in a photograph from a time before she was even born. 

Mal stood guard while John, Paul, Alex, and Neil all piled around the statue. Holly peered through the eye hole of Neil's camera, pressing the button with a _click_.


	16. RUN FOR YOUR LIFE

May 15, 1968

During the impromptu trip to Central Park yesterday the group had attracted a crowd. Due to this they escaped back to the apartment. 

That evening instead of returning to her hotel, Holly spent another night at the apartment John and Paul were sharing. A few of the girls hanging out around the building had shouted some less than pleasant things to her as she walked in with the pair of Beatles. Holly didn't want a repeat of that on her way out. Plus, John had ultimately asked Holly to stay and "talk about the future" late into the evening. 

Holly awoke to the sound of voices and dishes clattering in the kitchen, this time in a bed and not on the couch. A little confused as to her surroundings she lay there attempting to recall the events of the night before. 

She had decided to partake in the consumption alcohol and marijuana, instead of declining like she had the previous evening. _When in Rome_ , she had justified it to herself. 

Holly, John, Paul, and Alex had all sat around for hours drinking and smoking. Alex had gone on and on about so many different inventions he had planned, and John and Paul had eaten it all up. John had been good and hadn't mentioned anything about where Holly was truly from, even in his inebriated state. 

Still trying to remember how she ended up in a bed, and more importantly whose bed it was, Holly sat up. The room spun in circles for several seconds. She blinked and tried to refocus on her surroundings. She was fully dressed and completely alone. It didn't seem like any questionable decisions had been made, but she chastised herself for having so much _fun_ that she couldn't remember exactly what she did. Deciding to venture out of the bedroom, Holly wanted to see who else was up. 

"Ah, Sleeping Beauty awakes," Paul said with a grand gesture, sitting on one of the couches. He had a teacup in one hand and a cigarette in the other. 

"Good morning," Holly winced. "Was I the only one still asleep?" she asked groggily. 

Paul gave a small chuckle, "Nah, luv. John's still out," and he motioned to the other couch which was tucked around the corner from Holly's view. 

Holly took a few steps from the bedroom door and then saw John asleep, one leg having slipped off the couch and onto the floor. His glasses were still on and his mouth was partially open. 

"Is he always such a graceful sleeper?" Holly joked. 

"Aah, he's a right beauty when he sleeps, eh?" Paul replied with a smile and a wink. "What about you, then? You were no better last night."

"Was I?" Holly asked. "I'm afraid I honestly don't remember how the night ended." She put a hand to her forehead, rubbing her temple to alleviate the pounding in her head. "A bit too much fun, I suppose."

Alex joined them from the kitchen with two cups of tea and sat on the couch with Paul. He laughed, "Oh you were plenty of fun... up until you weren't."

Holly gave him a puzzled look, and walked closer to accept the tea Alex was offering her. 

"Oh, you were a blast until you decided you were tired and needed to go to sleep. You passed right out on the couch there," Alex motioned to the couch John was still sleeping on. "Then you proceeded to wake up a few times, shouting something about having to work in the morning and needing your sleep. Some big mission you were being sent on and could we all please shut the hell up?" Paul and Alex were both laughing by the end of the description. 

"Oh God," Holly replied, horrified that she was likely babbling about the mission she was currently on. "I'm so sorry. I must have been having some weird dream."

"Yeah, well John finally got tired of hearing you. He sent you to his bedroom so you could get your beauty rest." Alex pointed towards John, "He ended up out here. I figured he'd squeeze in with you, but he passed out before he could." With that last sentence, Alex threw a small couch pillow at John, startling him awake.

"What the fuck..." John shouted, flailing his arms around the pillow. "Ah, piss off," he grumbled as he noticed Alex and Paul laughing. He rolled over onto his side and twisted around to stretch. Noticing Holly standing there, John added, "Oh, James bloody Bond is up, I see. Secret missions and whatnot."

Holy laughed, "Sorry about all that. Paul and Alex were just filling me in. You were very kind to give up your bed to shut me up."

By mid-morning, Derek Taylor showed up with Mal and Neil. John and Paul were scheduled for one final press conference to talk about Apple before heading back home to London. Before leaving for the press conference John pulled Holly into his room. 

"We leave soon," he said. 

"Yes, I know."

"I suppose you're leaving then, too?"

Holly nodded. "Yes that's the plan."

John sat on the edge of the bed. "Why not come back with us? We're recording a new album soon. All the songs we wrote in India." He paused, "S'pose you know that already, though."

"I doubt that would be a smart thing for me to do. You already said how Cynthia accused me of being your 'tart.' I doubt she'd be thrilled if I showed up again."

John tucked a strand of hair behind his ears and gave a small sigh. "That ship's sailed, anyway. She's a bore anymore. And you were right about Yoko, of course. What you said yesterday."

Holly joined John on the bed, both of them sitting together in silence for a few minutes. She had already accomplished what she needed to. Holly had gotten in touch with John, and assured herself that he still remembered her and what she was here to do. Logically she should say her goodbyes here and now, and head on to the next time jump. But if Holly was being honest with herself, she was tempted to take John up on his offer to go to London with him. For the first time on the mission she had allowed herself to relax. Yesterday had been a lot of fun, both galavanting around Central Park and also hanging out with John, Paul, and even Alex last night. Holly didn't want this to end. 

"Play me another song," John said, pulling Holly from her thoughts. "From your little future box. All those songs I wrote in India that we're about to record. Play me one of those."

Holly knew the album he was referencing was their self-titled album, also known as the White Album. They had all written so many songs, having been inspired by their surroundings and much needed relaxation. They would ultimately decide on releasing a double album to fit them all in. 

"Sing me one," Holly responded. "A tune or some lyrics. I don't want to play you something you haven't already written yet."

John looked away, tilting his head as he thought. He grabbed his acoustic guitar which was leaning on the wall and began lightly picking out a tune. He then began to sing, " _Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play...?_ "

Holly let him play, not wanting to interrupt him. John repeated the opening verse a few times. She noticed that a few of the words he sang were not exactly the same as what would end up on the album. When he finally finished he looked at Holly expectantly. "Well?" he prompted. 

"You know I shouldn't be doing this," she replied flatly. 

"Yes, and I also know that you will do it," John said with a grin. "So give it up, then."

He was right, of course. Holly knew that she had already given John information she shouldn't have, including playing him a Chuck Berry song that hadn't been written yet. That didn't appear to have changed anything, so playing him one of his own songs hopefully wouldn't be an issue either. She pulled her phone from her bag, tapped the screen a few times. Suddenly light, airy guitar music was softly filling the room.

"What else is on there?" he asked once the song finished. 

"You'll find out once you record the album." Holly decided that one song was more than enough. 

John fiddled around on his guitar, playing random tunes. Holly recognized a few of them but said nothing. Finally he placed the guitar back against the wall. 

"So, you'll come back to London, then." It was more of a statement than a question. 

Holly stared into John's eyes and was quiet for a full minute. Fuck it, she thought. "All right," she finally answered. "Yes. I'll come back to London with you. But," she said sternly, "Only for a day or so. I really can't stick around for long."

Suddenly the door to the bedroom opened. Mal stuck his head inside. "We're off. Come on, John. Car's here."

Holly used the time while John and Paul were in the press conference to gather all of her belongings from her hotel room, which she had barely spent any time in. When the press conference was over their car stopped to pick up Holly. They all headed back to the apartment and then to the airport. 

The private flight was uneventful, although Derek was not happy to have to deal with the added passenger. With the combination of the long flight and the change in time zones it was almost midnight when they landed at Heathrow.

Holly would be staying at Paul's home in St. John's Wood for the duration of her visit. John had offered his house but Holly declined, saying she didn't want to cause more issues between John and Cynthia. Yoko may already be in the picture, but Holly didn't want to add to the rapidly deteriorating marriage. 

Late that evening in Paul's home, John and Holly sat with Paul and his fiancé Jane Asher, although Holly knew they would never marry. George had been by to say hello but left relatively quickly. 

Paul and John both had guitars out and were periodically bouncing melodies off each other. Jane was being a lovely hostess, providing tea, alcohol, and an assortment of snacks. Paul's large sheepdog, Martha who had bounded up to greet everyone when they first arrived, found a comfy spot on the floor to lay down near the group as they sat in the living room. 

Paul's house was only a short distance from Abbey Road, located on Cavendish Ave. A boxy three-story home surrounded by a high brick wall and gate to keep out the fans who congregated around it regularly. Occasionally a girl's voice could be heard yelling ' _Paul!_ ' or ' _John!_ ' or even things like ' _We love you!_ ' from outside. Even this late in the evening there were girls waiting outside, and had witnessed the group's arrival. 

Paul and John had been playing on their guitars, smoking pot or the occasional cigarette for the past half hour while Jane and Holly got to know each other. At one point John positioned himself on the floor sorting through records to put on the record player. 

Holly studied him. _Maybe coming back to London with him was the right choice_ , she thought to herself. John had his knees pulled up to his chest with a cigarette in one hand. He looked deep in thought when he caught Holly staring at him. Suddenly John stood up and grabbed Holly's arm. 

"Come 'ed. I gotta show you something," he said. 

Holly gave him a surprised look, but stood up with him. John guided her through the house to a set of french doors that lead out to a garden area. 

"Where are you taking me?" Holly inquired. 

"Just wait," was John's only reply. 

It was extremely dark by this point, the sun having gone down hours ago. Holly followed John into the backyard until they were standing in front of a tall platform containing a glass dome structure. 

"Come on, then," John urged, not letting go of Holly's arm. 

Within the structure was a large, round floor covered in an assortment of rugs and carpets. A few pillows were strewn about and there were a couple of ashtrays as well. Holly recognized this dome from some of the photos taken during the Mad Day Out. 

Holly followed John inside the glass geodesic dome, immediately sitting down on the carpeted floor. Suddenly the floor was rising up bringing them closer to the glass panels of the dome above them. It was almost like being in a clear igloo looking up into the starry sky above. John stretched out on his back with his hands folded behind his head. 

"I suppose everyone has a magic meditation dome in the future, yeh?" John commented. He removed a joint from a small metal container in his pocket and lit it with a match. 

"I can tell you I certainly don't have anything even close to this where I come from," Holly laughed. 

John turned his head to look at her. "Where _do_ you come from? I mean, really, actually come from? I think you owe me some more information by this point."

Holly sighed and leaned back on one of the pillows. 

"Well," she began, "I'm from almost fifty years from now. I won't even be born for another twelve years," she said with a smirk. "And that stuff's not illegal anymore where I'm from," she added, pointing at the joint in John's hand. 

"Is that so?" he marveled. "That's how it should be, ya know. It's a mind opener. Nothing illegal about expanding your mind."

They sat in the meditation dome for at least half an hour, finishing the joint. They talked about everything from drugs, to music, to more about Holly's life in the future. 

Holly looked at John. "Do you trust me?" she asked. 

John didn't move other than to tap the excess ash from the cigarette in his hand. Holly sat patiently, not wanting to repeat her question. 

"There's a reason I can't tell you all the details yet," she finally continued. "But it's important that you trust me. At least somewhat."

John turned and stared into Holly's eyes. He leaned in close to Holly's face, causing her to lean back in surprise. "I trust you, future girl," he whispered and then sat back again, giggling at the look on Holly's face. "What the hell's a'matter with you?"

Holly laughed nervously. "I thought you were trying to kiss me," she said. 

"Bloody hell," John sighed. "You're not even born yet. Snogging a fetus is bound to be illegal, even in _your_ time. 'Sides, you're not me type anyway."

Holly laughed, "Yeah, I'm no avant-garde artist from Japan." She raised her eyebrows at John. "Be kind to Cynthia when that all finally comes to a head. Please."

John began to speak when suddenly there was a commotion coming from across the yard back at the house. It sounded like yelling, and there were voices that Holly didn't immediately recognize - far more voices than just Paul's and Jane's. Holly and John looked through the glass to see the backdoor swinging open and two policemen walking out. 

"You there!" one of the policemen shouted towards the dome. "Come down immediately!"

"What the fuck is going on?!" John shouted back. "Who the bloody hell are you?"

"Sergeant Pilcher," one man responded. "Come down immediately or we will be forced to bring you down ourselves. 

"Fuck!" Holly whispered. 

She knew all about Sgt. Norman Pilcher and his infamous drug raids of famous rockstars. Although the dates were off from what Holly remembered. John wasn't supposed to be raided or arrested for another few months, and even then it was with Yoko, not Paul. Apparently some things _had_ changed from the timeline she knew. 

John began moving around to get to the lever to lower the circular platform he and Holly were sitting on. "What the fuck is this?" he muttered. 

"Drug bust," Holly answered. "That cop is after everyone famous. But this is different than it should be," Holly said in a panicked voice. "It didn't happen this way!"

"Fucking hell," John spat. 

"I can't be arrested," Holly stuttered. "They might fingerprint me. Oh god, and a mugshot...." She looked at John with wide eyes. "I have to go. I can't be documented here. I don't even exist yet. I'm sorry." 

Holly frantically started digging through her purse, thankful that she kept it attached to her at all times. 

"Come down right this instant or we will forcibly remove you!" a shout bellowed from below. 

"Yes, yes," John shouted down, stalling for time. "I'm trying to work the bloody lever, ya pig!"

"I'm sorry, John. You'll be fine though." Holly was holding her phone and fumbling with the box containing the orb she needed. "My large bag," she continued, "just toss it at some point. It's only clothes and personal items."

John was watching Holly with an amused look, very interested in the small sphere she was now holding in her hand. "So, you'll just disappear, then?" 

"You're about to find out," Holly answered. "Back up a bit. I don't want you getting taken along with me." Her fingers were scrolling across her phone screen, selecting days, months, and years. "I'll see you soon. It'll be a bit more than five years this time. I had to change it up to make things work. Just be patient. I'll see you in 1974."

"That's it, we're coming up!" Sgt. Pilcher roared from below. 

John hit the lever and the platform began its descent. "I'm coming down piggies, calm down," John called out, adding a few pig-sounding snorts at the end. He looked at Holly and watched her vanish before his eyes. "Yeah, '74," he replied, even though he was now completely alone inside the dome.


	17. HELLO LITTLE GIRL

March 27, 1974

Holly looked around trying to make heads or tales of where she was. Her heart was still racing, her breathing heavy. She certainly was not expecting to leave under those circumstances nor with such little preparation. 

This most recent visit was different than the others. She felt as if she had gotten closer to John. Holly was prepared to stay for a few extra days because she was having such a good time. Now she was left with an unsettled feeling in the back of her mind. 

The drug bust by Sgt. Pilcher was not supposed to occur that way nor on that date. This change must have something to do with Holly's visits - there was no other explanation. With this realization it would be logical to assume that there could be other changes as well. 

Simply by smell alone Holly could tell she was near the ocean. She had programmed her jump to take her to the preplanned location of Hawaii. Looking around Holly saw numerous cargo boats and ships all docked and floating in place.

"Where did you come from?" a voice called from behind Holly. 

Holly froze, unsure if the voice belonged to friend or foe. _Did he see me pop out of thin air?_ Holly thought. 

"You there! Can I help you?" the voice called again. 

Holly turned around slowly and saw a man, tanned and sweaty, standing about twenty feet from her down the dock. 

"No, thank you. I'm just looking for someone but I think I'm in the wrong location," she called back and began walking as fast as she could away from the man. 

"Wait! Who do you need?" the man shouted, but Holly continued to walk, finding her way to the exit of the dock and into a large parking lot. 

From there, she ducked back and forth through rows of cars attempting to put distance and obstacles between her and the man. She had no idea whether he had followed her or not, but didn't dare stop and look to find out. 

It didn't take Holly very long to get from the parking lot to a main road, and from that main road she found a bus stop. She jumped on the first bus not even caring where it went as long as it took her away from the docks. Getting off at the first stop Holly saw she was standing next to a recreation center - a perfect location to get help. She called a taxi from the rec center to take her to the airport, which was only about 20 minutes away.

It wasn't until Holly made it to the airport that she bothered to find out what time it was. The clock on the wall showed 4:45 PM. The first available flight to Los Angeles wasn't until the next morning. She purchased a plane ticket and found a hotel next to the airport. She stopped at the hotel gift shop and bought a new flowy, floral dress - very beachy and very Hawaiian. She booked a room, showered, ordered a room service dinner, and headed to bed early. 

 

The following morning, sitting on the plane, Holly tried to make a plan in her head. She had nothing other than her handbag and its contents. Her large bag with all her clothes and other personal items had been left behind at Paul's home, five years ago. She was wearing the dress she purchased the previous day. Holly hoped she could make a shopping trip once she got to LA. 

The plane ride took a little over five hours, and then Holly was looking out the window observing the large runways and buildings of the Los Angeles airport. The airport was bustling with people, and even without having to find any checked bags, navigating her way through things took awhile. She finally found a pick-up area and was able to get a taxi. This trip would be an expensive one. Los Angeles was not cheap, and Holly had planned to get a hotel as close as possible to the area that she knew John was living in. 

The taxi dropped her off outside of the Oceana Hotel on Ocean Avenue. Holly was able to book one of their small "junior" rooms and thankfully didn't have to splurge and pay for one of the large luxury suites. 

The day was young, and Holly knew where John would be. _Should be_. She was still concerned over the change in the timeline during her last visit. 

_Could it have been a fluke? Did it affect things that occurred afterwards?_ Holly thought to herself. 

Holly let out a sigh and shook her head. There was no sense in worrying about any of that until she needed to. Her hotel was about five minutes from the house that John should be staying at. She knew later that evening John would be in a recording studio along with Harry Nilsson and some others. Holly also knew that this period in John's life was fueled by drugs and unpredictability. 

Holly walked towards John's rented Santa Monica home. The ocean was so close that she could hear the waves crashing. The sky was a crystal blue and the breeze smelled of salt. John's house was rather unassuming, albeit large, with other similar homes on either side of it. It was sandwiched between the ocean and an extremely large park, which separated the beachfront homes from the neighborhoods more inland. 

There was no gate nor any noticeable security so Holly simply walked up to the main door and pressed the buzzer attached to an intercom. There was no answer for a few minutes. 

Even though it was already 4:00 PM, Holly knew there was a very good chance that John and everyone else in the house might still be in bed sleeping off hangovers. Holly decided to buzz again. After another two or three minutes a female voice came over the speaker. 

"Yes? Who is it?" the voice asked. 

"Hi. My name is Holly and I'm here for John. He should be expecting me." Holly tried to sound confident. 

"He's unavailable at the moment. I'm sorry," the voice responded. 

"Wait, is this May?" Holly pleaded. 

There was a brief pause before the voice came through the intercom again. "Yes, it is. John is not available. I'm sorry."

"May, could you _please_ let him know I'm here?" Holly's words were spilling out faster than her brain could process them. "I realize that you don't know me, but I have been a friend of John's since before the Beatles. I watched his marriage to Cynthia fall apart. I've gotten stoned with him and Paul, and Lord knows who else. He knows I'm coming to see him. I can guarantee that if you tell him I'm standing out here he will have you bring me inside."

There was another brief pause. Holly could hear May give a small sigh. "What was your name again?"

"Holly! Holly Graham. Tell him his Christmas telegram is here because he always makes fun my name! Or just tell him 'future girl' is here? That's another one. Please!"

"Hang on."

Holly stood outside waiting for what felt like an eternity. She began to think that May just took her name to appease her, and then walked away with no intention of telling John. 

Suddenly the intercom crackled to life again. "Are you still there?" May asked. 

"Yes! I'm here," Holly practically shouted into the speaker. 

There was a loud buzz and a click. Holly pushed on the green door, now unlocked, and walked into the front entryway. There was no one else inside, but she heard the sound of footsteps coming towards her. 

"Is that really you?" a voice called. 

Holly didn't need to see him to know that it was John. Her lips curled into a huge smile and she took a few steps in the direction of John's voice. 

"Yes! It's really me!" Holly shouted, and suddenly John appeared. 

He was dressed in only a pair of blue jeans and his feet were bare. Holly concluded that she was likely correct in her assumption that everyone was still in bed.  His hair was much shorter than when Holly last saw him, and it was tousled and unkept - another sign that Holly had guessed correctly. 

"Bloody fucking hell!" John exclaimed. "About bleedin' time you got here!" He put his arms around Holly's shoulders and then pulled away to look at her. "Christ, you really don't fuckin' change, do you?"

Holly laughed. "Nope, not a bit!"

"What the hell are you wearin'?" John asked, looking her up and down. 

"Hawaii's finest fashion." Holly gave a small twirl to show off her floral dress. 

"Hawaii?? What were you doing in Hawaii?"

"That's where I ended up after leaving the dome," Holly answered. 

John shook his head, "Well come on then, come inside. You gotta meet May."

The house was amazing. Not necessarily a _mansion_ but it was still quite impressive. Holly knew that John and May were not the only inhabitants of this house. Ringo was living there, along with Keith Moon, Klaus Voormann, and a few others. But as Holly followed John through the house she didn't see anyone else. 

Holly was able to see the kitchen and dining room first, and then what appeared to be a living room or den which housed a large piano and also a pool table. From there she noticed a beautiful spiral staircase leading up to the floor above, and at the top of the stairs a woman was beginning her descent. 

"May! You have to meet Holly!" John beamed. He turned to Holly, "That's May. She's bloody amazin', she is."

Holly grinned, "Yes, I know."

John just shook his head at her, and took May around the waist as she stepped off the bottom step, kissing her. Holly knew quite a bit about May Pang and the "lost weekend" she shared with John. Secretly, Holly always felt that May was a better match for John than Yoko was. May had a much more positive effect on John's personal relationships with his friends and family. 

May pulled away from John's kiss, looking a bit embarrassed. She looked at Holly and smiled, her large, octagonal glasses sliding down her nose a bit. 

"I'm sorry to have disturbed you," Holly said to May, "but thank you so much for letting John know I was here."

May smiled again and said, "It's very nice to meet you. I'm sorry I didn't know who you were."

"Aah, how would you, Fung Yee? I don't think I ever mentioned her." John liked to call May by her Chinese name. "But she's here now and you'll get to hear all about her." Turning to Holly he added, "Right, future girl?"

The three of them made their way into the room with the piano and pool table. John and May sat together on a couch across from Holly. They were practically sitting on top of each other. John was being very touchy with May putting one of his arms around her and the other resting on her leg. May still seemed a bit embarrassed. 

"Fuck. Ya know, you made it out just in time," John said, referring to the last time he saw Holly. "That fucking pig was coming right up after me. Five more seconds and he woulda watched you disappear into thin air like I did."

Holly gave John a disapproving look. "Yes, it was a good thing I was able to get away." 

"When you go this time, I'm watching again. I gotta see it. You were just.... gone. It was crazy." John removed an arm from behind May and reached for a pack of cigarettes sitting on the coffee table. 

"John," Holly warned. "Enough, okay? We'll talk about that another time..."

"No, no, no," John went on. "I kept it from Cyn. I kept it from everyone else, even Paul. Do you know how bloody _hard_ that was to explain to him how you just.... weren't _there_ anymore after all the piggies showed up?" John lit the cigarette and took a drag, blowing smoke away from where May sat next to him. "She gets to know," he continued, nodding his head toward May.

"Why don't I go get some drinks for us?" May interrupted, sensing the tension rising from John. "Or something to eat? You two can catch up." She attempted to stand up from the couch. 

"No! Sit down, May." John looked at Holly as he spoke. "She gets to know! She's a part of me now and she gets to know."

Holly stared into John's his eyes. He was now 33 years old, and she appreciated the fact that he was finally catching up with her own age. Holly made a split second decision, knowing that causing a fight wouldn't benefit any of them. "All right, John. Fine. She gets to know."

For half a second John looked surprised, but immediately replaced that expression with one of satisfaction. Holly was sure that John was expecting an argument from her. 

Holly liked May, and always had. Most of the things she knew of May and her time with John were positive. John's eighteen month "lost weekend" was certainly not without its pitfalls; the infamous heckling incident at the Troubadour only having happened a couple of weeks earlier. But May was a positive influence on John. Regardless of who he ultimately ended up with, Holly knew John felt deeply for May. Perhaps having May in-the-know would be beneficial for Holly down the line. When it came down to it, the thought of having to bring Yoko into all of this later on was something Holly dreaded far more than involving May right now. 

"Listen, Fung Yee," John began, "you won't believe it, but it's real." He looked into May's eyes as he spoke. "She," he motioned to Holly, "is from the future."

May smiled and gave an uncomfortable laugh. Holly watched the interaction between the two with amusement. Certainly with all of John's drug use and party lifestyle, May couldn't be surprised by much anymore. Although this would certainly be the topper. 

"No, really. She is. She's come to change things." John turned to look at Holly. "Show her your little box. A picture of us? What do you have?"

Holly leaned forward in her seat. "Before any of that, let's talk." She looked at May. "I know John sounds a bit wacky right now..."

"Even wackier than usual!" John cut in with a smile. 

"But he's telling you the truth," Holly continued. "I _am_ from the future, and I've been visiting John periodically, popping in every few years. I hadn't planned on having you know any of this, but John might have a point about you."

May didn't say anything, but she continued to look at Holly. John leaned in towards May and traced imaginary pictures on her shoulder and neck while she tried in vain to brush him off.

Holly continued, trying not to chuckle at John's antics. "I've already proven to John that what I'm saying is the truth. I will do the same for you, May. But I can't go into any more details other than the information I give you. Okay?"

May looked from Holly to John, and back to Holly again. John gave her a small nudge. 

"Say okay," he whispered to her. 

"Okay...?" she repeated. 

Holly retrieved her phone from her handbag, and John sat forward bouncing up and down in his seat. He rubbed his hands together. "Here we go!" he exclaimed licking his lips and looking excitedly at May. 

Holly pulled up the only picture she had of John and May together. A picture taken in November of that year at the Beacon Theatre for a showing of Sgt. Pepper the Musical. "Here," Holly said as she turned to face the phone's screen towards John and May. "This picture won't be taken for nearly six months."

John let out a small yelp of delight, happy to see more pictures from Holly's 'magical future box' as he called it before. Holly couldn't help but smile at him. May, on the other hand, stared in silence. She seemed equally transfixed on both the picture and the device that the picture sat upon. 

"What _is_ that?" May asked and turned to John. 

"It's the future, Fung Yee," he replied and kissed her on the cheek. "That magical box is our future. It plays music, and takes pictures, and does a million other things! She has everything about my life on there. Even things that haven't happened yet. And now you get to be a part of our secret."


	18. I DON'T WANT TO SPOIL THE PARTY

March 28, 1974

May stared at John unsure of what to believe. John was all smiles and laughs, almost giddy that he was able to finally share his secret. May then turned to Holly. 

"So, if you're really from the future, why are you here?" she asked skeptically. 

"It's a bit of a long story, I'm afraid. And like I said before I really can't share more information with you." Holly turned to John, "And neither can you." Her eyes pierced into John's. "She knows who I am now, okay? But that's all."

"Yeah, yeah," John dismissed. "You two talk. I need some clothes."

Holly laughed inwardly at the fact that John didn't seem bothered by his lack of shirt, socks, and shoes until now. She watched him as he slipped out of the room and up the spiral staircase. 

Holly and May sat in an awkward silence for a moment before Holly spoke carefully. "Listen, I think you're good for John. At least for right now. He needs a break. And it's obvious he's crazy for you. I know you'll manage to get him to take an interest in Julian again, and his friends as well, which is wonderful. Lord knows Yoko wants none of that."

"Did Yoko send you?" May asked. 

"No, no. She sent _you._ Not me," Holly responded. 

May gave her a quizzical look. "She may have started all of this, but I'm here because I want to be. Honestly. Yoko calls everyday. John may be broken up with her, but she still pulls the strings with him."

Holly simply nodded. She didn't need any explanations. "That doesn't matter, really. What matters is that John is happy, right?"

May nodded. 

"Okay, then here is what else matters." Holly leaned forward towards May. "You absolutely cannot talk about me. You can't talk about what John and I just told you. Not under _any_ circumstances. Do you understand?"

May nodded again, a concerned look on her face. 

"I am not a mean person, and I do like you, May. But you weren't supposed to know about me. The last time I saw John things went a bit crazy - drug busts and whatnot. I don't need things going crazy this time. John trusts me and he apparently trusts you too. Don't. Betray. That. Trust." Holly's eyes were unwavering as she stared at May sternly. 

May shook her head, "I won't." 

When John returned from upstairs the trio walked out to the backyard where a large in-ground pool glistened in the midday sunlight. The ocean sat in the background, framing the scene in a beautiful beachy backdrop. Across the pool a male figure lay on a lounge chair, face covered with large sunglasses. A female in a bikini was on the chair next to him. 

"That's Klaus," John said to Holly. "And his girlfriend."

"What about Ringo?" she asked. "He lives here too, right?" 

Holly had no idea if Ringo would remember her or not. Her last interaction with him was during the recording of _Please Please Me_ , and then the Cavern show the next night. She hoped Ringo wouldn't recognize her, because it would make things so much less complicated if he didn't. 

"Yeah, but the bastard barely wakes up before the sun goes down. He's worse than me," John said with a grin.

"I'm going to go find us something to snack on," May announced. "I'll see if Armando is still here to make us all something."

With May gone, Holly leaned in to John. "Okay, look. I gave in to the May thing. You have to make sure she doesn't talk about me."

"Don't worry, she's no narc," John responded. "'Sides, she loves me. Why else would she put up with my shite?" 

Holly laughed, "Well I seem to be putting up with a lot of your _shite_ , as well. But don't go expecting any professions of love from me."

John leaned over and gave Holly a light push. "Gah, you're the worst of them all for love!" He rested his arm around Holly's shoulder. "Cyn had you pegged as my tart. May will probably ask all about you later. Yoko's the only one who didn't meet you, and _she_ would definitely think I was banging you!"

Holly gave a small chuckle and leaned into John. While it was true that she didn't love him romantically, she had grown very fond of him and enjoyed the friendship they had fostered so far. Holly had spent so much of her life feeling somehow connected to John in some cosmic way - him leaving the world on the same day that she entered it - and it felt very nice to realize that they did have a chemistry between them. 

Looking down at her clothing, Holly exclaimed, "I really need to do some shopping. All my stuff got left at Paul's. I picked this thing up at a hotel gift shop on my way here," she laughed. 

John sat down on a lounge chair and motioned for Holly to join him. She sat on the chair next to his, leaning back on the angled seat and stretching her legs out in front of her. 

"Why is it that you bounce all over the place and then have to take planes to come find me? Why don't you just pop yourself into wherever I am?" John stretched his own legs out on the chair, mirroring Holly. 

Holly looked over at Klaus and his girlfriend across the pool. It appeared that they were either passed out, or asleep. "It's all part of the mission. I'm supposed to _pop_ into specific locations with each jump. It's all part of the plan and the testing."

"Yes, but if your entire mission is to keep up with me wouldn't it make sense to just go to where I am each time?"

"Right," Holly said with a sigh. She had never actually explained to John that her true mission had nothing at all to do with him. It was only her decision to hijack the mission that brought her to him. "Well, I suppose I haven't been entirely forthright about everything."

Just then, May returned carrying a tray with an assortment of plates and bowls. A man Holly didn't recognize trailed behind her with drinks. 

"Thanks, Armando," May said, and placed the items on a table next to Holly and John. Holly assumed that Armando must be a butler or housekeeper for the group. 

"Don't stop there," John pushed, wanting Holly to elaborate on her last comment. May sat down with him on the lounge chair, squeezing herself between John's legs. 

Holly glanced at May. "Remember, not a word," she said sternly. Turning back to John, she continued, "This mission isn't _exactly_ all about you. It's more of a trial run to test the equipment and make sure everything works as it should." Holly sat up straight, criss-crossing her legs beneath her. "I'm supposed to go to different pre-planned locations each time to test the accuracy of the hardware."

John looked at her, tilting his head in confusion. "So they're making you do all these things at once? Travel all over the place and find me?"

"Well, kinda," Holly answered. "It's a bit more complex than that, but I suppose that's the gist of it." She decided not to let John in on the full truth so as not to stir up more questions. 

"That seems a bit much, but I guess I'm not a rocket scientist flying around in floating cars making decisions and such." John's eyes darted quickly to Holly's. "Is that what it's like? Are there flying cars? Do people live on the moon?"

Holly let out a loud laugh, "No, nothing like that. You'd be sorely disappointed if that's what you expect."

"Well, what's it's like?" May asked in a quiet voice. "How far in the future are you talking about?"

"It's really not all that different than now, honestly," Holly explained. "Technology has some major advancements, that's for sure, but no one lives on the moon, and cars don't fly." She turned to May, "I'm from almost fifty years from now."

"Fifty years..." May trailed off. "I'll be... jeez, over seventy years old!" 

"Yeah, well I'll be _eighty_!" John countered. "Isn't even bloody worth it, bein' alive that old."

Holly looked at John, trying to imagine him that old. "You might be surprised. Eighty's the new twenty, haven't you heard?" and they all laughed. 

They spent the next couple of hours snacking on the tray of food May and Armando brought. Ringo finally made an appearance, wearing a bathrobe and looking pained to be awake. Keith Moon also popped in for awhile and ended up shoving Ringo in the pool, robe and all! When the sun began to set, John mentioned the recording session that was scheduled for that evening. 

"You'll come, right?" he asked Holly. "I'm producing this album for Harry. It's gonna be amazin'!"

Holly had read enough about John's time in LA to know that much of the studio work was filled with copious amounts of drugs and alcohol. Recording sessions sometimes devolved into fights and arguments, as well. 

"I don't know, John. I practically got arrested the last time I was with you, and that was only with pot. I know what you guys are up to nowadays."

"Aah, sod off. We're not so bad." John turned to May, "Are we?" he asked with a mischievous grin. 

May laughed and shook her head, looking at Holly. "It won't be all that bad. You should come. It'll give me someone to talk to."

May lent Holly some of her clothes to wear to Burbank Studios so she didn't have to keep wearing the Hawaiian dress. Once there John seemed in his element, although cocaine and alcohol were prevalent, and there was no attempt to hide it. 

Midway through the session, Paul and Linda came waltzing in out of the blue, claiming to have just been passing through. John and Paul hadn't seen each other in years by that point, and had been publicly very angry towards each other. But the two of them appeared to be as close as ever, falling back into the same conversations and routines that Holly had witnessed when they were still Beatles. 

As an impromptu jam session was beginning, Stevie Wonder wandered in from an adjacent studio and joined in as well. Holly sat with May and marveled at the vast amount of musical talent which was all crammed into one room. 

More cocaine was passed around, and Holly heard John offering "a snort" to everyone near him. Paul sat at the drum set, and Linda at the organ. The rest were on guitars. At one point John grabbed May from her seat and handed her a tambourine, encouraging her to join in on the jam session. Holly was given maracas, and John literally pulled her into the mix as well, but she was hesitant to use them. She didn't want to be a part of this recording session where she didn't belong. Holly knew this would ultimately become the bootleg album titled _A Toot and a Snore in '74_.

As the session was wrapping up Holly saw May talking to Paul, inviting him and Linda to visit them. Holly tucked herself away from that exchange, not wanting Paul to see her. Out of all the Beatles other than John, Paul was the one that knew Holly best. He would certainly know who she was, and even worse, possibly question her about her disappearance at his house all those years ago. Thankfully, he never approached her, and if he had recognized her throughout the evening, he never let on. 

Leaving the studio Holly, John, May, Harry Nilsson, and Jesse Ed Davis all crowded into a car. Paul and Linda left together, and the other musicians and producers went their separate ways as well. 

The car delivered Holly and the rest of the group back at John's house, and everyone scattered - some getting drinks and others retiring to different rooms, or outside to the pool. Holly sat down on the same couch as earlier in the room with the piano. John joined her after a few minutes holding two glasses of alcohol. 

"So what are you really here for, future girl?" he asked as he sat down next to her.

Holly smiled. "You ask me that every time I find you."

"And you always give me the same bloody answer that isn't actually an answer. I want the _real_ reason." He leaned sideways against Holly and handed her one of the glasses. 

Holly could smell a mix of alcohol, cigarettes, and cologne on him. Even with all the different scents covering him, she still recognized him as John. 

_Smells are a funny thing_ , she thought to herself. She recalled sitting next to seventeen year old John on Stu's couch, quite similar to how they currently sat. Even then, he smelled like this. No matter what other scents got mixed in, he was still John. Never in a million years did Holly ever think that she would be able to recognize John Lennon by scent. 

"Well?" John's voice broke through Holly's inner dialogue. 

Holly let out a breath that she didn't even realize she had been holding. "This probably isn't the time, John. You're all messed up on coke. We can talk about it tomorrow."

"I'm not _messed up_ , future girl. I'm crystal fucking clear. It's the booze that messes me up. This stuff," he tapped his nose, "freshens me right up."

"My next visit," Holly confided after a moment, "that's the one."

"What one?"

"The one I have to change." She took a sip from the glass John had given her and winced. It was a glass of straight whiskey. 

John's eyes grew wide. "Next visit? So you have to tell me what it is! Right? You always said you'd tell me when it got closer."

"Yes, well it's not closer yet. It's still years away. But that's it, though. The next time I see you I'll tell you everything."

John sat back, leaning against the back of the couch. He swirled his glass of whiskey around although there was nothing to mix - no ice, just whiskey. "What do I look like?"

Holly furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at John. "Um, you look fine?"

He laughed, "No.... what do I look like in your time? Eighty year old Lennon. That sounds right awful."

Holly attempted a genuine smile, but failed miserably. "Next time, John. I'll show you everything you want to see next time. I promise."

By the time May found John and Holly it was past 3:00 AM. John was still up and moving, but Holly was exhausted. John showed her to Ringo's room. He explained that Ringo had left and wouldn't be back for another day or two so Holly could take his bed. 

"I'm going to have to leave tomorrow," she said to John as she sat on the bed. "I'll probably be gone long before anyone here even wakes up."

"Do I end up back with Yoko?" John asked. 

"Next visit, John. I promise I will answer all your questions. For now, let me get some sleep." Holly leaned down to remove her shoes. 

John didn't move. Holly patted the spot next to her on the bed and John sat down. 

"I miss her sometimes, ya know. Yoko." He leaned his head onto Holly's shoulder. "May's bloody amazin' but she can't control me. And I'm a fuckin' mess sometimes."

"Maybe you need to figure out how to control _yourself_ , then." Holly tipped her head sideways so it was resting against John's. 

John gave a deep sigh. "Next visit?"

"Yes. Next visit I'll tell you everything."


	19. I FOUND OUT

December 3, 1980

It was a bright and sunny day outside. Holly sat in an uncomfortable chair looking through the large windows of the Galeão International Airport in Rio de Janeiro. 

Holly had woken up long before John or any of his housemates. She had showered, and dressed in May's borrowed clothes. Rifling through some of the items in Ringo's room, she ultimately "borrowed" a small travel bag and a couple of t-shirts. Then with a few taps and scrolls on her phone's screen Holly was no longer in Los Angeles, and no longer in 1974. 

Announcements came through the speakers in a string of different languages giving information about plane departures and arrivals. It had taken Holly about an hour to get to the airport from the area where she materialized. She had about six hours to kill before her flight to New York. After doing a little shopping in some of the airport gift shops, and then getting something to eat, Holly then settled down in a chair. 

Snacking on french fries, Holly thought back to the previous night and her conversation with John on the bed. She smiled at the thought of him resting his head on her shoulder, and for a brief moment she missed him. His mood that night had seemed a bit different than it had the rest of the visit. Mentioning that he occasionally missed Yoko seemed odd with how happy he appeared to be with May. 

Holly knew that John's eighteen months with May would end with him going back to Yoko. There was always speculation as to why. Many people believed that Yoko manipulated him back into her life, while others believed it was their love for each other that brought them back together. 

Holly let out a small sigh. The thought of Yoko brought Holly back to the situation at hand. This visit would be her first meeting with Yoko, and she had no clue how Yoko would react. If she wasn't on board, it could definitely make things difficult. 

It was no secret that Yoko held a good deal of control over John. Holly believed this was part of what John was missing last night when he talked about May not being able to control him. Yoko gladly took the reins with John. He willing let her take on the mother role that he so desperately missed in his early life.

During the long flight from Rio Holly was reminded of John's question as to why she couldn't just jump directly to him. She regretted the fact that she couldn't. All of this traveling was getting tiring, but Holly knew her jumps were still being monitored. 

Thinking about Tyler, Holly contemplated all that he had risked to help her. She wondered what was going on in the lab back home, curious if any of her minor changes had sounded any proverbial alarm bells. From what she understood the team had no way of contacting her from the future. This in turn meant Holly had no way of contacting them either. 

When Holly arrived in New York it was early in the evening. She was exhausted from all the traveling, but had to take a cab to the Olcott Hotel on W. 72nd St. 

The room Holly was given was nice, and the bed was comfortable. She was excited to see John but decided to forgo a visit to the Dakota tonight. She was tired, and knew that tomorrow it would ultimately be easier to find him.

The next morning Holly woke up and prepared herself for the day. She wasn't sure of John's exact schedule, but she knew he and Yoko would be heading to Record Plant Studios later in the afternoon.

It was a chilly December day. Holly's first stop was to buy a winter coat and gloves. She then wandered a few blocks away to Cafe La Fortuna, one of John's favorite spots to eat. She grabbed a quick bite, and in the back of her mind hoped that John would wander in and make things all that much easier for her. Of course she had no such luck, she headed to the Dakota building. 

At the Dakota there were a few people standing around, likely hoping to catch a glimpse of John, but it wasn't an overly large crowd by any means. For half a second Holly considered going up to one of the doormen standing by the large gate and asking if they would be able to relay a message to John, but that thought died as quickly as it was born. Those men must hear that kind of thing all the time. 

After standing around for almost two hours Holly's patience finally paid off. John and Yoko came through the opening in the large iron gates, and walked onto the sidewalk just a few yards from where Holly stood. A few people pulled out cameras and others shouted his name, holding out pens and paper. 

"John!" Holly shouted. Her voice blended in with the others. "John, over here! It's Holly!"

One of the doormen was standing near to John and Yoko, as a protector of sorts, making sure no one got too close to John unless he said it was okay. Holly walked up so that only the doorman was between her and John. Yoko stood gazing out into the street, likely on the lookout for their car. John was turned partially away from Holly, posing for a photo with a fan. When he turned back to stand with Yoko, Holly extended her hand to touch his arm as she yelled, "John!"

The doorman immediately grabbed her hand, pulling her away. This caused John to turn and finally notice Holly. His head tilted and a smile grew across his face. 

"Whoa, whoa, it's all right!" he said to the doorman. "Leave her be. I know her!" and he pushed past the doorman to stand directly in front of Holly. 

Yoko didn't seem to notice the small commotion. She was still standing at the edge of the curb facing the street. 

"Christ, that took long enough, didn't it? I suppose you wanted to hear my new album?" John had a big smile on his face, but Holly couldn't see his eyes through the tinted lenses of his glasses. 

"I _might_ have heard it before," Holly joked. 

Just then, a black limousine pulled up to the curb. Yoko turned to find John and gave him a disapproving look when she noticed John laughing with Holly. 

"Come on," John started, grabbing her arm and pulling her inside the limo. 

Yoko's expression was one of confusion and anger. "John, who is this?" she barked. She and John were sitting directly across from Holly. 

"This," John motioned to Holly, "is the girl I've told you about. The one from the future."

Holly looked at John, and then at Yoko. She tried to gauge Yoko's reaction to John's words. It wasn't overly surprising that he had told Yoko about Holly. 

"Ah, yes. Well..." Yoko trailed off. "This is perhaps not a good time to have _visitors_ , John." Her mouth was smiling but her eyes were not. 

"Aah, mother, don't be silly. Of course it is!" John smiled at Holly and then turned to Yoko. "And besides, this is one visitor you want to meet."

Yoko stared at Holly with an expression of forced tolerance. Her mouth gave a polite smile but her body language showed disdain. "John says there is a girl who visits him from the future. Apparently you are her?"

Holly spoke in a low voice to John, "Can the driver hear us?"

"Nah, window's all closed up." He pointed to the dividing partition between the front seat and the rest of the limo. 

Turning her attention back to Yoko, Holly answered, "Yes, I am _her_. I've been visiting John since he was a teenager in Liverpool."

"Show her," John urged, motioning to the bag resting on Holly's lap. He turned to Yoko, "She's got this little box that has pictures from the future, and music, and everything else! She's better than any tarot card reader in the whole world!"

Yoko continued to give a curt smile as she looked at John and replied, "Yes, well that sounds very interesting John, but I don't think..."

"There!" John interrupted. He pointed to Holly who was now holding out her phone, displaying a picture of Yoko and Sean from 1985. Yoko didn't look drastically different in the picture, although her hair was much shorter. Currently Sean was five years old, but this picture showed him at ten years of age - much older but yet still easily recognizable as himself. 

"What is that?" Yoko asked skeptically. 

"It's you and Sean, five years from now," Holly answered flatly. 

Yoko stared at the picture for a minute, finally responding, "That's impossible."

"No, it's not!" John interjected. "This is what I've been telling you. She's my future girl, the one that's been visiting me. She probably has loads more stuff in there!" Turning to Holly, he added, "Show her something else, then."

Holly pulled up a video of Yoko from 2010 performing her interpretation of various songs at an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art right there in New York City. Yoko was 77 years old in the video but still looked and sounded very much like herself. 

Yoko's expression barely changed as she watched the video play, but John's face was plastered with a huge smile. 

"Look, mother! You still got it even when you're old!" he exclaimed. 

"That could easily be someone impersonating me," Yoko countered. "There is no proof that is me at all."

The limo suddenly came to a stop. Holly quickly put her phone back into her handbag before their door was opened by the driver. Yoko exited the limo in a huff, and John motioned to Holly to get out next.

"You should leave now," Yoko said to Holly as they walked towards the door of Record Plant Studios. "And you," she said to John, "shouldn't be so gullible as to believe everything you see or hear."

John looked at Holly and shook his head silently. He mouthed the words 'it's okay' and put a hand on her shoulder encouraging her to continue walking inside with them. Yoko stormed down the hallway, leaving John and Holly behind. 

"Don't mind her," John said. "She might take a minute to convince but she'll come 'round."

They arrived at the control room of the studio. John explained that they were there for Yoko to work on her vocal overdubs for "Walking on Thin Ice." After that they would be have an interview for the Soho Weekly News.

John began talking with a few of the men in the room as they began set up for the recording. Holly plopped down in a chair against one of the walls and observed John giving orders. He sat down at the control panels for a bit, explaining the sound they were after and how levels should be set. Holly watched Yoko on the other side of the glass, headphones on and standing in front of a microphone. 

"Hey," John's voice pulled her attention back to him. "Follow me. She won't notice I'm gone for a few minutes."

Holly followed John out of the studio, down the hall, and into another room. It appeared to be either a storage room or perhaps some kind of crowded greenroom. There was recording equipment lining the walls; microphone stands, speakers, coils of different types of cable, even stacks of chairs. There was also a small table and a couch pushed up against one wall, and John immediately sat on it. Holly joined him and smiled, thankful they were alone for a brief moment. 

Holly stared at John for a minute, noticing his thin frame and the small lines in his face that weren't there the last time she saw him. 

"I remember the very first time I met you. We sat just like this on Stu's couch not all that long ago," she said with a smile. 

"Not that long ago?" John laughed. "That was, what? Twenty years ago?"

Holly joined his laughter. "Twenty- _two_ years ago, actually. But that's just for you. It was only a couple of months ago for me."

"Yeah, look at you! I'm over here getting older everyday, and you just sit there looking the damn same as you did back in Ye Cracke!"

"You know something?" Holly suddenly realized. "You're finally older than me now. This whole time I've always been the older one. In fact, I worried that you'd see me for the first time and think I was some crazy old lady trying to hang out with you and Cynthia!" Holly was laughing a bit harder now. 

"How old _are_ you? You've never actually told me, have you?"

"I'm thirty-nine."

"No!" John looked shocked. "This entire time?"

Holly nodded. 

"I never pegged you as being more than thirty. When we first met, I remember thinking you were maybe in your mid twenties." John sighed and leaned back on the couch. "How'd ya manage that?"

"Good genes, I guess," Holly answered with a smile. 

John shook his head. "Well, if I remember correctly, you owe me some answers. All of them, actually."

"Yes, I do."

"How about you start with another picture. Another older one like Yoko, but with me this time."

"I can't do that," Holly replied in a muted voice. 

"The fuck you can't!" John exclaimed. "You just showed Yoko a whole video of her, but suddenly you're not allowed to show me one?"

"It's not that, John." Holly began. "I literally _can't_ show you one. What you're asking for doesn't exist."

John looked at Holly, fully confused and squinting his eyes behind his glasses. "Doesn't exist... What does that even mean, doesn't exist?"

Holly took a deep breath. "What I'm about to tell you is the answer to every question you've asked me. But you have to listen, okay?" Her voice was low in an attempt to keep John focused on her. 

"Yeah, okay." John was looking directly into Holly's eyes, trying to read them. 

"An older picture of you doesn't exist because _you_ don't exist."

John continued to look at Holly expectantly, needing more explanation. "I'm pretty damn sure I exist!"

"Of course you exist, now! What I'm saying is that you don't exist in the future. You die in four days, John. _That_ is why I'm here - to prevent your death."

John's face showed a mix of confusion, horror, and disbelief. "What?!" He stood up from the couch and took a few steps away, then turned back to face Holly. "To prevent..."

"John, sit back down. Please."

"I _die_ in four days. Is that what you just said?"

Holly nodded and patted the seat next to her on the couch. "Please, sit down. I will explain everything."


	20. HOW?

December 4, 1980

John sat down on the couch next to Holly looking desperately at her. "What do you mean, I _die_?! How? And you're going to stop it?"

"You don't just die, John. You get killed." Holly tried to keep her voice calm in an attempt to lessen John's frenzy. 

John shook his head incredulously and stared at the floor, unable to comprehend what Holly was saying. "Killed? How? What? Is it a car accident or something? Plane crash?" He removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"You're shot." Holly paused, waiting for a reaction from John. "You get shot by someone."

John's head slowly turned to look at Holly, his glasses still in his hand. "Shot? Who the fuck shoots me?!" he shouted. 

There was a knock on the door and it opened instantaneously. "Jesus Christ, there you are. Yoko is going crazy looking for you."

"She can fucking manage without me, Jack," John retorted. Holly recognized him from the studio a few minutes earlier. 

"The reporter is here as well. Front desk has him waiting." Jack responded. 

"Fuck." John stood up from the couch. "Wait here," he ordered Holly. 

Ten minutes later the door to the small room opened again. Holly had been biding her time by looking through the assortment of supplies and equipment. She jumped in surprise when the door burst open. 

"We're leaving. Come on," John barked. His voice didn't sound angry, but his tone was sharp. 

Back in the limo Yoko relentlessly hounded and chastised John for their quick departure from the studio. John had cancelled the interview with the Soho Times. Apparently he had promised the reporter a longer, more exclusive interview at another date just to get him off his back. John did not respond to Yoko's nagging, and instead stared out the window seemingly at nothing. 

"This is because of you, isn't it?" Yoko seethed at Holly. "John, what did I tell you about not listening to everyone who has something to say to you?"

"Shut up, mother," John grunted under his breath. He turned to acknowledge Yoko. "You don't know what you're talking about. She," he pointed at Holly, "is the _only_ person I want to listen to right now. And you're going to listen too."

Yoko sighed and folded her hands in her lap. "Honestly, John you are becoming impossible."

Once inside their apartment in the Dakota John found Sean with his nanny, Helen. He instructed Helen to keep Sean entertained elsewhere for the rest of the afternoon, and handed her a wad of cash. 

John, Holly, and Yoko were now all alone inside the large apartment. John ushered Holly into the living room. 

"I'm not putting up with your erratic behavior, John," Yoko sighed. "I'm going to my office."

"You're not going anywhere." John replied. 

Holly sat down in a plush white chair situated next to a matching white couch. The room was decorated with an assortment of houseplants. A glass coffee table framed in black metal sat as a focal point between the white chair and couch. Behind Holly was a large window looking out into the tall buildings of New York, its thick windowsill used as a bookshelf. 

"Sit," John said to Yoko. "Sit, and listen."

John and Yoko joined Holly, both of them sitting on the couch. Yoko's expression was nothing short of disgust. She stared at Holly, eyebrows raised, boring holes into the side of her head with her gaze. 

"Tell her what you told me," John began, "and then tell me the rest of it."

Holly took a breath. She wasn't sure why Yoko made her nervous, but she did. "John will be killed in four days," she started. "I'm here to try and stop that from happening."

John looked at Yoko expectantly. Out of nowhere she began to laugh. "This is what you wanted me to hear?" she asked John. "This is ridiculous, John. The fact that you believe anything this girl is saying is completely ridiculous. If you don't tell her to leave I will have her removed myself."

"I get shot for fuck's sake!" John snapped. " _Listen_ to her!"

Holly had already removed her phone from her handbag and was going through the various video clips saved within it. Words would mean nothing to Yoko. Holly needed to show her, and John as well, some physical proof. 

"Here," Holly said as she held out the phone. 

She showed them a short news video featuring reporter Ted Koppel on the night John was killed. It included a brief interview with one of the doctors who worked on John at Roosevelt Hospital. It also showed the police activity in front of the Dakota which was roped off as a crime scene. Throughout the five minute video John's lips were parted, occasionally forming into shapes as if he wanted to say something yet the words wouldn't come out. Yoko sat still as a statue, unmoving and relatively expressionless.

After the video was over Yoko continued to voice her disbelief to Holly. "This could be anything. A movie or something you made." She turned to John. "If you were going to die any time soon our tarot readers would know this and would have said so."

Holly didn't say anything in response to Yoko. She simply pulled up another video clip, and then another, and then another. For over an hour the trio sat in the living room watching clip after clip, some of news footage, and others of interviews done by Yoko and even Sean as he grew up. After so much proof even Yoko was finally forced to concede that Holly might be telling the truth. 

"Let me ask you this, then," Yoko said to Holly. "If you are here to prevent John from being killed then why do you not simply eliminate the shooter before he does this?"

"Well, it's not quite that easy," Holly began. "The short version is that I can't risk changing anything other than John's death. My actions are being monitored by a team in the year that I come from. Any other changes will cause a whole host of issues, not only with me but you guys as well. I can't just _eliminate_ the shooter. The only thing I can do is prevent him from actually killing John."

John had been silent the entire time. He finally seemed to find his voice and asked, "Who is it? Who's the man that shoots me?"

"It doesn't matter, and you honestly don't need to know. He's mentally ill. It's not anyone that you know." 

Holly didn't want to give John too much information about the shooter. She knew that Mark David Chapman came to the Dakota more than once trying to get to John. She didn't want John to know this or show him any pictures in case he were to recognize him beforehand. 

"So he shoots me outside the building?" John asked. "I'll just increase my security. I won't go out on the sidewalk anymore. This building has a security entrance. I'd never have to be seen outside."

"That won't work either," Holly countered. "This isn't a spur of the moment decision. This guy has been planning it. He was actually here a few months ago to do it, but he chickened out." Holly leaned back in her chair, finally feeling a little at ease now that Yoko was no longer interrupting her with doubtful accusations. "If you make sure you're not out front he'll likely just try to find you somewhere else."

"So then what are you suggesting?" Yoko asked skeptically. 

"You're not going to like it," Holly warned, "but my suggestion is that we have to let John get shot."

"What the fuck?" John blurted. "Let me get shot? I thought your whole point was to _prevent_ me from getting shot!"

"No, absolutely not," Yoko added.

"I said I was here to prevent you from being _killed_ , not from being shot," Holly said, trying to speak loudly over their continuing words of disapproval.

"No, this is unacceptable," Yoko announced. "Give us the name of the shooter. We will go to the police."

"And do what?" Holly shouted. "Tell them that some random guy is going to shoot John in a few days? Tell them to arrest someone who has done literally nothing?"

"The police will interrogate him. They will find out what he plans, and they will arrest him," Yoko said flatly. 

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Holly snorted. "Even if the cops _do_ decide to take you seriously, they'll have absolutely nothing to arrest him for. He hasn't made threats. He hasn't harassed you. Hell, he hasn't even spoken to you!"

John interrupted Holly, "Well certainly they can do _some_ thing. You can be a witness or whatever. Tell them what you know."

"Why on earth would they believe me? Not to mention that if I go spouting off about knowing that someone plans to kill you then I'll get brought in and questioned." Holly sighed and ran a hand over her face, pressing her fingers into her closed eyes. "You have to remember, I don't even exist yet. I can't show up in police reports. I can't be recorded or interviewed."

"You don't exist?" Yoko questioned. 

"I haven't been born yet. In this time, I mean."

"So why the hell do I have to get shot?" John asked, changing the subject back again. 

"It's the only way to have him arrested and put away for a long time," Holly explained. "That way it'll be attempted murder. Anything less and he might get off on some insanity plea, or get thrown in the psych ward. He could end up coming after you again."

"So I just let him shoot me? How the fuck is that supposed to work?" John leaned forward. "He shoots me, and I die. All those news clips just said so."

"You'll need to be wearing a bullet proof vest. All of his shots are in your chest, back, and shoulder. The vest should protect you fully," Holly assured. 

"This is not acceptable," Yoko responded. "John cannot be shot."

"Please understand that I have gone over every single scenario here." Holly looked directly at Yoko as she spoke. "This is the only way that doesn't end up jeopardizing everything."

The phone began ringing in the background. It rang for six rings and then stopped. A moment later it started up again. Yoko decided to get up and answer it, leaving Holly and John to continue talking.

Holly fell back into the plush chair and let out a breath, glad to be rid of Yoko for a moment. "John, you gotta just trust me on this. I know it sounds scary," she shifted her eyes to find John's, "but I also know that _you_ know I have your best interests at heart."

John ran his hand through his hair, and Holly was reminded of a much younger John doing the same thing. "Does he really have to shoot me? Maybe you could be out there. Tackle him when he draws the gun? Smack it out of his hand?"

"I've gone over that idea, too. It's way too risky. It puts far too many people in danger," Holly responded. "I try to grab the gun and maybe it fires and hits someone else. Maybe it shoots me. Maybe it still hits you, but instead of getting your torso it hits your head and you die instantly." She sighed, "There's just too many dangerous possibilities."

John sighed and looked into Holly's eyes, searching for something. He shook his head slightly. "I can't believe I'm saying this," he paused and took a deep breath, "but okay. I think this whole thing is insane, but for whatever reason, I trust you."

Holly's lips curled into a smile. She reached a hand over and placed it on John's knee, and John placed his hand on top of hers. Holly linked her fingers through John's and moved from her chair onto the couch with John. "We can do this. You just gotta trust me and do what I say."

Nodding, John asked, "So what do I do first?"

"Well, the most important thing is that you continue to do everything you have planned. Don't cancel anything." Holly paused. "Anything _else_ ," she added. "Make sure you actually do reschedule that interview you cancelled today."

John nodded. 

"Next, you need to get a bullet proof vest, but it needs to be discreet. It can't end up in the papers that you're shopping for one. If the shooter somehow finds that out it could change things." Holly unlinked her fingers from John and pushed her hair behind her ears. "Get one of your assistants to find one, but they can't mention it's for you."

John nodded again. "You should probably get Yoko in on all this. She's the one that takes care of stuff we need."

"Of course," Holly responded. "I'll go over all this again when she comes back, but I know she's gonna be resistant. You have to make sure that you do your part, too." 

John got up from the couch and walked over to the tall window, looking up into the winter sky. "Is he out there right now?" he asked. "You said he's been here before."

"I don't think so. I honestly don't know how many times he comes to the Dakota beforehand." 

Holly stood and walked over to join John at the window. They stood together, silently looking out into the city of New York. John's hand found Holly's and he intertwined his fingers in hers once more. 

"You'll be okay," Holly whispered as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I didn't go through all this and risk everything I have just to have it all go wrong."

They heard footsteps coming from within the apartment. Holly turned and walked back to the chair, but John remained at the window. As Yoko walked into the room Holly felt herself tense up again. As small and demure in stature as Yoko was, she certainly made up for it with a commanding personality. 

"I have to go to the office, John," she said. "You canceling that interview earlier has caused problems with the schedule."

"Hey," John cut in, "I need a bullet proof vest. Can you get Fred to find me one?"

Yoko sighed. "Perhaps you should talk to Fred yourself about that," and she turned to leave. "I'll be in the office," she called as she walked away. "Don't wait up."

The sound of the front door opening and then closing signaled Yoko's exit. If she wasn't going to be helpful in this endeavor, at least she didn't seem to be hindering it currently. 

John walked from the window back to the couch and sat down. "Fred's my assistant," he said to Holly. 

"I know," she nodded, thinking of the book Fred Seaman wrote after John's death. "So, here's how you need to broach this whole bullet proof vest thing," Holly said, scooting over to join John on the couch. "You need to tell your assistant that you're feeling paranoid. Tell him you've had dreams or premonitions or something, and you just have this nagging feeling that something bad is gonna happen."

John looked at her with confusion. "Why would I do that?"

"Because if you just randomly _happen_ to be wearing a bullet proof vest on the one day that you _happen_ to get shot, do you realize how suspicious that will look?" She looked at John with raised eyebrows. "You're going to have to wear it for a couple of days before the shooting. But don't make a huge deal about it other than with the people closest to you," Holly continued. "That way when it happens it will look like your premonitions were right."

John nodded slowly, thinking through the information Holly just gave him. "Right," he sighed, "wear the vest for a few days..." his voice trailed off. 

"Not all the time," Holly continued. "Just when you go out. And just for a couple of days."

It was late in the day, and the sun had long set by the time John and Holly finished talking. Sean and his nanny returned. Holly watched as John played with his son and asked all about what he did while he was out with Helen. 

At one point Sean walked up to Holly. "Who are you?" he asked. 

John introduced her as "a magical friend from far, far away" and Holly laughed. 

Holly had a late dinner with John and Sean, which had been prepared by their housekeeper Rosaura. Yoko still had not returned. According to John this was not unusual. Yoko would sometimes spend hours upon hours in her office which also located in the Dakota. 

"It's getting late," Holly said to John, as they sat at the kitchen table. It was almost 1:00 AM. 

"Are you staying here?" he asked. "You can have one of the spare rooms."

Holly hadn't planned on staying at the Dakota at all, but presented with the opportunity, she decided to take it. Tomorrow would be a big day, and Holly didn't want to have to run around trying to find John. He would be having his interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, and who knows what was going to happen with the Soho Times interview that John was supposedly rescheduling. Holly also worried that if she left, Yoko might try and manipulate things to somehow keep her from reaching John again. Perhaps staying close by was the smartest decision. 

"Or you don't have to. There's the guest apartment next door too..." John trailed off. 

Holly jerked her head to look at John, realizing that she had been lost in her own thoughts and hadn't answered him. "Sorry, I was lost in my brain for a minute. I would love to stay. You're very nice to offer it. The guest apartment sounds perfect," Holly replied with a smile. 

John took her over to the apartment directly next door to his. He explained that they actually owned five apartments in the building, using them as storage rooms, offices, and spare living quarters. 

"You're more than welcome to take a room in my place, but I guess you'd feel more comfortable here?" John said as he opened the door and made a grand motion for Holly to go inside first. 

The apartment was a little smaller than John's but still very lovely. It was fully furnished and had the same high ceilings as John's apartment. He gave Holly a quick tour showing her where the bedroom and bathroom were. 

"Thank you," Holly said as they stood in the living area. "This is perfect. And it's probably better if I'm not with you when Yoko comes back. You might need some time alone with her to get her on board with the whole plan."

"Aah, she'll be fine, on board or not," John laughed. "You get settled. I'm gonna go call Fred about a bullet proof vest... as crazy as that is to say."

Holly smiled. "All right. I'll see you tomorrow then." She moved in to hug John, almost instinctually. He returned the hug without hesitation. 

"Goodnight, Holly," he said, ending the hug. And with those words, John slipped out the door.


	21. WHATEVER GETS YOU THROUGH THE NIGHT

December 5, 1980

"Hey..."

Mostly asleep, Holly rolled over in bed, pulling the covers up to her neck. 

"Hey... sleepyhead."

Holly suddenly jolted awake, sitting up straight. "Jesus Christ, John!" she gasped, trying to focus her eyes. "You scared the shit out of me!"

John laughed as Holly continued to ramble and pulled her blankets even farther over herself. "Sorry," he chuckled, "I didn't know you were such a deep sleeper."

"What time is it?" Holly asked, stretching and looking around in search of a clock. 

"Early. 7:30." John was still wearing the same clothes from when he brought Holly to the apartment last night. "Yoko worked things out with the Soho Times and I ended up on the phone with them all fucking night." He shook his head, "I never shoulda promised them a longer interview. I'm beat."

"So you haven't slept at all?"

"Nope. I was gonna have a bite to eat and then take a nap. Yoko and I are due in the studio again this afternoon." John yawned, "I thought you might wanna join me for brekkie, cause Yoko's dead asleep already."

"Sure, that sounds good. Just give me a few minutes to get ready," Holly replied. 

John left and Holly quickly dressed and then headed down the hall to John's apartment. Rosaura, the housekeeper, had prepared breakfast and Holly and John sat in the kitchen talking while eating. John mentioned that he spoke to his assistant, Fred, last night and he should be procuring a bullet proof vest at some point today. 

"He asked me about a million questions, though," John explained. "Asked me if he should look into getting added security or maybe a personal bodyguard."

Holly looked up from her plate. "What did you tell him?"

"I told him not to do any of that until I consult my tarot readers," John answered. "No sense in riling everyone up yet, right?"

"Yeah, that's smart," Holly nodded. "So listen," she continued, "I'm gonna stay a bit scarce today. I know you have a lot going on with recording and then the Rolling Stone interview. I'm gonna keep my distance so I don't end up being photographed and you don't end up being asked about me."

"You're not gonna stay with me?" John asked. "But I need you to tell me what to do!"

"Just do what your schedule tells you to. Other than wearing the vest and maybe mentioning how you've got a weird, ominous feeling to a few people, just do what you would normally do." Holly stood and took her empty plate to the sink. 

"What are you gonna do all day, then?" John asked. 

"Well, I'm gonna go make sure my hotel room is still mine," Holly laughed. "And I need to do some shopping too. I need some current clothing." She paused before adding, "I might even do a little sight seeing. New York is a little different forty years from now."

After breakfast, Sean's nanny arrived. John wrote down the phone number to the private line at the apartment and also the number to Yoko's office for Holly. He made her promise to come back and stay the night there again. 

Holly spent the majority of the day wandering around the city. She stopped by the hotel and took a shower, did some shopping and bought a few new outfits, and walked around Central Park in the unseasonably warm December afternoon. At the end of her stroll in the park, she made her way to a very familiar area. 

The small section near the entrance on West 72nd Street looked basically the same as how she knew it, with one blaring omission. Benches lined the walking path, as was common in most parts of Central Park, but the path itself was missing the Imagine mosaic. Of course, there was no reason for it to be there, as it was placed in memoriam to John a few years after his death. There was no sign labeling the area as "Strawberry Fields," no musicians playing guitars, and no tourists wandering through with cameras. It was simply a thoroughfare. 

Holly sat on one of the benches for a few moments, taking in the space. She had been there more times than she could even count and it always brought her a sense of comfort. Knowing that this small area had been John's favorite spot in the park had always given her a feeling of connection, both with John and also with the vast number of his fans that came there to pay respects and enjoy the space. But this was not the same. This was simply a pathway and sitting area with no meaning attached. 

By the time Holly got back to her hotel, the sun was beginning to set in the winter sky. She took a nap, unsure of how late she may be up that night back at John's. Afterwards, she grabbed a quick dinner and then called the phone number John had given her for his apartment. It rang a couple of times before a female voice answered. Holly recognized it as Rosaura's. 

"John and Yoko aren't available," Rosaura explained. "They're being interviewed in the office, but you're welcome to come wait for them."

She went on to explain that John had left explicit instructions to give Holly all access to his apartment. 

A few moments later, Holly easily passed through the security at the front gate and also the concierge desk at the Dakota. John had apparently given Holly's name to them as someone who was to be treated as his guest and given all access. She made it up to the seventh floor and knocked on John and Yoko's apartment, being let in by Rosaura. Sean and his nanny were also there and Holly spent a good amount of time playing with Sean and chatting with Helen. 

At around 1:00 AM, the phone rang in the apartment and Helen answered. After a moment, she motioned Holly to come take the phone, telling her it was John calling from the office. 

"Hello?"

"Hey, I was beginning to wonder if you disappeared," John's voice came through the receiver. 

Holly laughed, "Of course not! I told you I would be a bit scarce today. I've actually been sitting here with Sean and Helen for a couple of hours now," she explained. "I didn't want to interrupt your interview."

"Well we're taking a break for a mo'. I'm pretty sure we're nowhere near done. Come down to the office," John requested. "Yoko's asleep on the couch and I'm gonna lose me mind if I don't have someone else to look at other than this bloody reporter."

Holly laughed again. "All right, John. How do I get there?"

John gave her instructions on how to get to their office in the building, and a few minutes later Holly was knocking on the door. It was opened by John, who seemed to have a look of relief from finally seeing her again. 

He ushered her into the office, putting his hand on her shoulder to guide her, and he was close enough that Holly's arm brushed his side. She felt a hardness under his clothes and glanced at his body. He was wearing the bullet proof vest. It wasn't really noticeable unless you knew to look for it, but it definitely gave an added layer on top of his thin frame. 

John continued his interview with the Rolling Stone reporter and Holly sat on the couch that wasn't already occupied by a sleeping Yoko. Having read this interview many, many times, Holly was interested in hearing the 'live' version. 

It was nearly 4:00 AM when they finally wrapped things up, and Holly had ended up dozing on the couch for the last hour of it. 

When the reporter finally left, John turned to Holly. "I dare you to punch me right in the stomach," he said with a mischievous grin. 

Holly chuckled, "You know, I'm not really in the mood to break my hand right now."

John gave her a quizzical, somewhat disappointed look. 

"I could feel the vest when you brushed past me at the door," she explained. 

"Aah, you're no fun!"

Yoko was still asleep on one couch and John came to join Holly on the other couch. "Ya know, she still thinks this whole thing is useless," he said as he lifted up his shirt to reveal the vest. "She even called in a special reading with three of her tarot readers just to try and prove you wrong."

Holly helped him to release the buckles on the vest. "A special reading, huh? How did that go?"

"None of them said anything about me being shot. Not even anything about me being in any kind of danger." He removed his shirt in order to pull the vest over his head. "This thing's fuckin' heavy, ya know."

"It feels it," Holly responded, holding the vest as John put his shirt back on. "So even after everything I showed her, she still thinks it's nothing?"

"Well, maybe not nothing, but she definitely thinks I shouldn't be doing any of this or listening to you. She wants to just go to the police."

"And what do you think?" Holly asked. 

"I think..." His voice trailed off. "I think I'm gonna just do whatever it is you say to do. I feel like a bit of a lunatic, but you're pretty darn convincing," John answered with a small laugh. 

"So, what if I had just showed up now?" Holly asked. "Never met you before this, and showed up today to tell you everything? Would you have believed me?"

John let out a loud laugh, "Not bloody likely!" 

"Well, then I'm very glad I did things the way I did," Holly smiled. "But maybe that's part of why Yoko's having a hard time believing all this."

"I suppose," John sighed. He looked over at Yoko and stood up, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Come, come mother. Off to bed we go," he said in a rather posh accent. 

The next two days were very much the same, with Holly spending some time in her hotel and also occasionally helping Helen with Sean while John and Yoko had meetings, interviews, and worked in the studio some more. 

On the evening of December 7th, Holly could tell that John was starting to get nervous. He and Yoko had spent most of the day at home. Their Playboy interview, which they had done months earlier, was published that day and the two of them read and re-read it all afternoon, critiquing parts of it. Sitting in his living room, John grilled Holly on the small details of the coming day and wanted to know exactly where she would be.

"I'll stick around for awhile tomorrow, but I'm gonna have to leave before it happens," Holly explained. 

"Leave?!" John bellowed. 

"Not _leave_ leave. I just mean that I'm not going to be with you when it happens. I'll be _there_ , just not right there next to you. 

John sighed. "Why?"

"The same reason as always," Holly answered patiently. "Once it happens, there will be lots of commotion, lots of people looking around and ultimately lots of policemen. If I'm with you, and people see that, I'll be questioned. Maybe even photographed." She leaned back into the thick couch cushions. "I just can't risk it."

That night, Holly stayed in John's apartment instead of going to the guest apartment down the hall. John seemed to be distancing himself from Yoko and clinging on to Holly instead. Yoko either didn't seem to notice or just simply didn't care, and Holly couldn't tell which one it was. 

Holly slept in a spare bedroom in John's apartment. At some point in the middle of the night, she was woken up by someone climbing into her bed. Holly jumped at first, but soon recognized John's voice. 

"I can't sleep for shit," he said as he slid under the covers next to Holly. 

Looking at the silhouette of John's face, Holly replied groggily, "So you decided to make sure I didn't sleep either?"

"Well I can't just lie there staring at the ceiling. And there's nothing good on the telly at this hour."

"Will Yoko come looking for you?" Holly rolled over onto her side so that she was facing John. "I'm sure she wouldn't be too pleased to find you in my bed." 

"I doubt it," John responded. "She doesn't seem to keen on me lately, anyway."

Holly and John lay in the queen sized bed in silence for a few minutes. Holly was surprised at how comfortable it felt. At first she had been worried that John was attempting something sexual by climbing in bed with her, but as they lay there it became apparent that all John was looking for was comfort and assurance. 

They talked for a bit, both laying on their backs looking up at nothing in the darkness. John folded both his arms behind his head on the pillow, and Holly found herself nestling into him. She listened to his heart beating under the slow rise and fall of his chest. John unfolded one arm to place it over Holly, his hand falling behind her back. 

"Why does this seem natural? How is it that I've never tried to fuck you in all these years?" John asked. 

Holly chuckled as she replied, "I don't know, John. I suppose that's probably a good thing though. I _am_ still a fetus, remember?"

John laughed. 

"I suppose that won't be true for long, though," Holly continued. "I don't think I ever mentioned it, but I'll be born tomorrow."

John craned his head in an attempt to look at Holly, who was still resting on his chest. "You'll what?"

"I'll be born tomorrow afternoon."

"You're born on the same day that I die...?" John's voice trailed off. 

"Yep. That's one of the reasons I got into your music," Holly explained. "I grew up knowing who you were because your death was the main thing that happened on the day I was born."

John shook his head, clearly dumbfounded. "Seriously?"

Holly nodded. 

"I'm old enough to be your father, then. Hell," he laughed, "Sean's older than you, isn't he?"

Holly nodded again with a small chuckle. 

Soon John's breathing slowed, becoming soft and rhythmic as he drifted off to sleep. This left Holly alone with her thoughts. She replayed all of her interactions with John, spanning over two decades of his life. 

_How on earth did I manage to end up sharing a bed with John Lennon?_ Holly wondered. She was then reminded of the time in Paul's meditation dome when she thought John was trying to kiss her. Suddenly she felt the color drain from her face. 

That visit had ended with a drug bust. More specifically, a drug bust that wasn't supposed to happen that day. Holly had somehow unwittingly caused a small change in the timeline. What if something changes tomorrow? she thought. What if there's some kind of difference, and the vest doesn't save him? 

It took Holly a long time to quiet her racing mind and fall asleep. When she awoke a few hours later, John was no longer in the bed with her. She heard some noises coming from within the apartment, and decided to get up. She looked at the clock which read 9:45 AM. She found John in the kitchen making tea and, Yoko sitting at the table. 

"Your hair!" Holly exclaimed. 

John turned to Holly. "You like?"

His new haircut reminded Holly a bit of his 1950's teddy boy style, with short sides and volume on the top. 

"It looks lovely," Holly replied. 

"Figured I should get cleaned up, what with today being such a monumental day and all."

Yoko scoffed at John from the kitchen table, obviously still not pleased with the events that were to unfold that day. 

As the day progressed, John stayed busy doing some interviews and, at 2:00 PM, a photographer from Rolling Stone magazine showed up to do a photo shoot for the upcoming article. Holly watched the first hour of the photo shoot, but she retired to the guest apartment after Yoko became increasingly agitated by her presence.

By 4:30 John and Yoko were getting ready to leave for the recording studio. Before they left, Holly sat with them at the kitchen table going over the last minute details. Holly would not be joining them at the studio, nor staying at the Dakota. Instead she was going to her hotel, and would be waiting there for their return at around 10:45 PM. 

Yoko was still extremely against the plan, but she seemed to have given up arguing at this point. John was very nervous, but gave Holly his word that he would follow all of her instructions. John gave Holly a long hug which was partially hindered by the thick vest beneath his clothes. 

"Just in case I don't see you again," John explained as her hugged her tightly. 

"This isn't goodbye," Holly replied. "I will see you again. If not tonight, then tomorrow when things have hopefully calmed down a bit." 

With that, John and Yoko left the apartment, and Holly followed soon after to go to her hotel. 

•••• 

Later that evening John and Yoko made their way from the studio back to the Dakota. The recording session had not been extremely productive, and Yoko had argued with John for the entire car ride. She told him that he should not leave the car and suggested they get a room at a hotel. When the car pulled up to the Dakota John opened the door and Yoko immediately pulled it shut again. 

"I'm doing this with or without you!" John shouted. "If you don't want to end up in the crossfire I suggest you get out of the car and walk inside like Holly said."

Yoko opened the car door, stepped out, and looked back at John. She then turned on her heels and walked towards the gate. 

John stepped out of the car, and looked around, trying to pick Holly out of the small crowd mingling around the sidewalk. He looked at a few faces of the people standing around, attempting to pinpoint who the shooter might be. Taking a few hesitant steps, he made his way towards the Dakota's gates, pausing to acknowledge a few fans along the way. 

When John was only a few feet from the gate. a deafening bang caused him to flinch. Simultaneously he felt a sharp sensation almost shoving him from behind. More loud bangs rang out, and he felt more pressure hit him from behind causing him to stumble forward into the vestibule of the building. Screams now replaced the gunshots, and as John stumbled towards the reception area he heard footsteps approaching him. 

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" Jay, the concierge shouted. "Are you shot??"


	22. IN SPITE OF ALL THE DANGER

August 10, 2020

"Agent Christophe, what is going on?" Agent Thomas Brady barked.  

Inside the laboratory a small red light was blinking on one of the consoles. Accompanying it was a shrill, beeping alarm. 

"Give me a moment," Agent Tyler Christophe responded as his eyes darted from his tablet to the large screen on the wall. "I'm trying to figure that out."

Agents Samuel Thomas and Lisa Monroe were also scouring the machinery, running internal diagnostics and checking reports. 

"I'm waiting!" barked Agent Brady. 

Tyler pushed an override button silencing the alarm and causing the red light to cease its flashing. "I'm not finding any anomalies in the timeline, and," motioning to Monroe and Thomas, "from what I can see it doesn't look like there is any issue with the machinery."

Agent Lisa Monroe nodded, agreeing with Tyler. "Everything's coming back perfect. No issues on our part," she said. 

Agent Brady walked across the crowded room to Tyler who was still tinkering with things. "Well what was that, then?" he asked. 

"Could have been a number of things, sir." Tyler explained. "Easiest explanation would be a simple equipment error. A false reading of sorts. With all the diagnostics coming back A-OK, that would make sense." He paused, consulting his tablet. "My next guess would be that this is all due to a small fluctuation in the timeline."

"Due to what?" Brady asked. 

"Well, looking at the status of her time jumps it looks like Agent DuPont's most recent one brought her to December of 1980," Tyler began. "This would be the first jump where she, herself, would have already been born and would be existing in her correct time. My guess," he continued, "would be that the machinery could have picked up that there are currently _two_ Holly DuPont's existing in the same timeframe."

Agent Brady let out a small sigh. "And this isn't something that we took into account already?"

Agent Samuel Thomas jumped in, "It's not that we haven't taken it into account," he explained. "It's more that with this being the first mission to include multiple consecutive jumps, this is just something we haven't had to encounter before."

Tyler nodded in agreement, "Exactly. The diagnostics coming back show no issues. Like I said it's either a machinery fluke, or it's the fact that Holly is now in a time where she already exists." Tapping the screen of his tablet and comparing it to the screen of the tall equipment next to him, he added, "If it happens again we'll know it's something more, but as for right now I wouldn't be concerned."

Agent Brady nodded and walked back across the lab. Tyler turned to face the equipment, his back now facing the rest of the crew. He briefly closed his eyes, letting out a small sigh of relief. 

 

December 8, 1980

Holly sat on the bed inside her room at the Olcott Hotel. Both the television and the radio were on, and she flipped between news channels searching for information. The sound of sirens were constant outside. From her window Holly could just barely make out the scene down the street. What had started as one police car soon turned into multiple cars, then added ambulances, and even a firetruck. No one seemed to be leaving the scene. That had to be a good sign. 

It had been twenty minutes since the first gunshot rang out. The 11:00 news was halfway done before any mention of the shooting. 

_We come to you now with breaking news out of the Upper West Side._

"Finally," Holly breathed, walking to the television set to turn up the volume. 

_A shooting in front of the iconic Dakota Building on West 72nd Street has turned the block into a crime scene. Details are still coming in, but according to our sources it appears that former Beatle, John Lennon was shot in front of the building by a yet un-named assailant as he walked inside. We go now, live to our corespondent, Nina James who is on location at the Dakota. Nina, what can you tell us?_

The screen changed to show the chaotic scene on the sidewalk in front of the building. Yellow crime scene tape was wrapped in a large square blocking off the majority of the area. Within the taped off crime scene various uniformed police officers could be seen walking around, some talking into walkie talkies, others examining the walls of the building where bullets had hit. 

_This is Nina James, reporting live from in front of the Dakota on West 72nd. At approximately 10:50 tonight, John Lennon, who lives here with his wife Yoko Ono and their son, was shot as he attempted to walk from his limo into the building. A large crowd has gathered outside of the building, and police are trying to contain the onlookers as they process the crime scene._

"Is he okay?!" Holly shouted at the television. "Just say it!"

_I have here with me Officer Moran, one of the first policemen on the scene. Officer Moran, what can you tell us?_

Holly recognized the police officer's name. James Moran was one of the cops who had put a dying John into the back of his police car and transported him to Roosevelt Hospital.

 _Uh, yeah, we arrived on scene moments after the call came through. The shooter was still at the scene. I believe it was the doorman for the building, along with other bystanders that helped to keep the suspect contained until we arrived._

_Can you tell us about Mr. Lennon's condition?_

"Finally!" Holly yelled. 

_Um, well, you would probably get a better answer from one of the paramedics. I know he's still inside the building being triaged. He was speaking to an officer. That's really all I know. He hasn't been transported anywhere yet._

The reporter continued to interview Officer Moran, asking for more information about the shooter, and about the shooting itself. Holly didn't need to hear anything more. Officer Moran had stated that John was inside the building, and more importantly he was speaking to an officer. That meant he was still alive, still conscious, and not in bad enough condition to be rushed to a hospital. 

Holly attempted to call John's apartment, but it just rang through unanswered. Same thing with the number to the office. Holly knew that Helen and Sean should be in the apartment, but it was likely that they were either busy speaking to the police or had been instructed not to accept any calls.

Toying with the idea of walking down the block, Holly ultimately decided against it. It was highly unlikely she would make it past any of the police or the security measures this early on. And if John was speaking to the police, then they probably wouldn't be letting him have any outside "guests." She decided to wait until the police activity died down.

The news didn't give much more information before the thirty minute time slot was over. The radio had periodic snippets between songs where they would repeat the information they had, and follow up by playing a Beatles song or something from _Double Fantasy_. 

It was almost 4:00 AM. Holly could see some of the police cars pulling away. She had watched as they left, one by one, over the course of the past hour. She tried calling the apartment again. This time the line picked up after three rings. 

"Hello?" a tired voice answered. 

"Helen? It's Holly."

"Oh God, did you hear?" Helen asked. 

"Yes, of course! I tried calling earlier but the line just rang through. I haven't been able to get in touch with anyone all night! All I know is what's been said on the news. Is John okay?" Holly's words were tumbling out on top of each other. 

"I haven't seen him personally, but Yoko came up here a little while ago to check on Sean. She said the paramedics moved John up to the office to check him over, and be questioned by the cops. Yoko said John was shot at, but he's okay. That's all I know right now."

"Do you think I'd be able to get inside?" Holly asked. "The only reason I haven't come already is cause I didn't think I'd make it past all the police tape."

"I really have no idea." Helen paused for a moment. "You could try though. Worst that happens is they don't let you in. I'll try calling down to the security desk and ask."

"Okay thanks, Helen. Hopefully I'll see you in a few minutes." Holly placed the phone receiver back into the base.

Moments later Holly was gently pushing her way through the large crowd that had gathered over the last few hours. It was somewhat reminiscent of the scenes Holly had watched in videos where massive crowds overtook the corner of W. 72nd St. to mourn John in the hours and days after his death. This crowd was smaller though, and they were all curious instead of devastated. 

Holly made it as close as she could, standing directly behind a strip of yellow police tape. After a moment she saw a familiar face. José Perdomo, the doorman that evening, was standing just a couple of yards away. Holly shouted his name and was able to get his attention. He immediately recognized Holly from her comings and goings over the past few days. 

José lifted up the police tape allowing Holly to duck under. There were still a few policemen milling about, but no one stopped her as José escorted her through the alcove. From there Holly was able to get the rest of the way on her own. 

Helen opened the door to the apartment looking weary and exhausted. "You made it," she said with a smile. 

"Yeah, thankfully José was able to let me through everything."

Holly and Helen both walked into the living room where a few others were sitting. Helen introduced Holly to Fred Seaman, Elliot Mintz, and Sam Havadtoy, all of whom Holly knew of, but had not yet met. There were a few others that came and went throughout the apartment, occasionally answering and making phone calls. 

Finally, at nearly 6:00 AM, the door to the apartment opened, and Yoko walked through followed by John. They were immediately bombarded by the group of people that were waiting about in the apartment. Yoko began shouting orders, telling some people to leave and sending others off with specific tasks. As people dispersed, Holly sat down at the kitchen table trying to stay out of the way. Rosaura placed a cup of tea in front of her. As she sat, idly stirring the tea with a spoon, Holly felt a hand on her shoulder. 

"So it seems you were right after all, future girl," John said quietly. 

Holly turned to see John, and without even realizing it, tears started falling down her cheeks. She stood up and hugged him as tightly as she could, wrapping her arms as far as possible around his thin body. 

"Hey now, what's with the tears? I didn't actually die, did I?" John joked. "Cause if I did, the afterlife sure looks a lot different than I thought."

"You're actually here," Holly said as she pulled away from the hug. "People were saying you were okay, but I just couldn't believe it until I saw you with my own eyes." She wiped a tear from her cheek and went back in for another hug. 

John guided Holly out of the kitchen and down the hallway to his bedroom. The television was on, but the volume was turned all the way down. 

"Where did Yoko go?" Holly asked. 

"Hell if I know," John replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Probably off somewhere with Sam milking it up about how much danger she was in tonight."

"Sam?" Holly asked, assuming John was speaking of Sam Havadtoy, who she met earlier. 

"Her bastard boy toy. Or whatever the hell he is."

Holly knew of Sam Havadtoy. After John's death Yoko had been in some kind of relationship with Sam, lasting twenty years. Sam was always rumored to be gay so the specifics of their relationship were certainly not black and white. Holly was unaware that the relationship had begun prior to John's death. 

"She argued with me the whole night right up until we walked out of the damn car. Didn't want me to do it. Forbade me even, saying she'd divorce me." He lit a cigarette and stood up, walking to the television and flipping through the channels. " _Then_ , she has the nerve to play the victim once I'm shot and everything starts going crazy. You should've heard the sob story from her once the police arrived." 

Holly sat on the edge of the bed, watching John. Once he found a channel showing the early morning news he stopped, turned the volume up, and returned to the bed, sitting next to her.

The news was giving the weather report for Tuesday, December 9. When that was done, the screen cut to a male anchor. 

_As we reported earlier, there was a shooting late last night in New York's Upper West Side. Former Beatle, John Lennon was shot outside of the Dakota building on West 72nd Street. The gunman, now identified as Mark David Chapman, was apprehended at the scene mere moments after he fired the shots. He has been taken into custody._

__

Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono were returning from a recording session when the gunman took aim on the sidewalk outside of the Dakota. Reports from police and medical personnel who responded to the scene state that Lennon, who was hit, is in excellent condition due mainly to the fact that he was wearing a protective vest at the time of the shooting. 

__

_In a statement issued by Lennon's press agent we have learned that Mr. Lennon had been having premonitions of his death for days before the shooting. It was because of these premonitions that he began wearing a bullet proof vest._

"That's the guy who shot me?" John asked. Chapman's mugshot had been shown on the screen as the news anchor was speaking. "I fucking _remember_ that guy! He was there in the afternoon, too."

Holly nodded. "Yeah. You even signed a copy of _Double Fantasy_ for him."

"Fucking hell..." John trailed off. "What the fuck did I do to him to make him wanna shoot me?"

"It's a big, messy story," Holly explained. "Short version is he's mentally ill. He was obsessed with The Catcher in the Rye. He thought some people were fake or phony and he had to rid the world of them."

"Fake?" John pulled another cigarette from the pack and lit it. "He thought I was a fucking phony? Christ," he said, running a hand through his hair. "Who fucking knows anymore, though. Maybe I _am_ a damn phony."

"So are you really okay?" Holly asked, trying to change the subject. "I mean, the bullets _did_ hit you. Even with the vest, that couldn't have felt good."

"Eh, I'm a bit banged up and bruised." John reached his right arm around to touch the back of his left shoulder. "The paramedics wanted to take me to the hospital to get checked out, but I wouldn't let them. I wasn't bleeding, and there's no point in going to the damn hospital for some bruises."

Holly lifted the back of John's shirt to reveal multiple purple bruise marks on his upper back and shoulder, which were due to the impact of the bullets. The vest certainly did its job, but it couldn't absorb all the force. 

"That looks painful," Holly said. "Maybe you _should_ have gone to get checked out. Those bruises are going to get worse before they get better."

"Nah, the press would have a field day. I'd never make it out of the hospital without a huge scene." John sighed. "I just wanted to be in my own home. And see you again."

Holly stared at John for a long time as he continued to watch the TV. He finally noticed her and laughed, asking why she was staring. 

"I'm just kind of in shock, I guess," she explained. "Here it is, December ninth, and you're sitting here next to me. Alive. I can't believe I really did it."

"And _I_ can't believe I got fucking shot!" John responded. "What the hell do I do now? Never leave the house?"

"Of course not," Holly responded. "You live your life _especially_ because you got shot. Every moment you live from this second on is a moment you didn't get to live before. Sean and Julian grew up without a father. The people that love you had to live their lives without you in it. So don't hole yourself away. Go out and live!"

John considered Holly's words for a moment. "Well what about you? I don't suppose you'll be staying much longer, will you?"

Holly let out a sigh. "No, I won't. I can't."

"So now what? I just never see you again? You accomplished your mission and that's it?"

"No," Holly shook her head. "I'm not quite done. I still have one last jump. I told you before, this mission has a bit more to it than just saving you. I have to complete one final jump before heading back to my time."

"Another five years?" John asked. 

Holly nodded. "So hopefully I _will_ see you again."

The morning sun had been shining through the windows since John and Yoko returned to the apartment. John got up and walked to the large window in the bedroom, motioning for Holly to join him. It overlooked Central Park from seven stories high, and the two of them stood there for a long time staring into the open space full of trees.

John and Holly were both exhausted. When they walked back into the living room, Yoko was still nowhere to be found. In fact, the only people left were Helen, who was asleep on the couch, and Fred, who was on the phone. 

John took Holly and guided her back towards the bedrooms again. He stopped at Sean's room and slipped silently inside, placing a kiss on Sean's forehead as he slept. From there the two of them went to the guest bedroom that Holly had slept in the previous evening. John fell onto the bed, immediately grimacing at the pain from his bruised back. Once settled into a comfortable position he patted the bed, and Holly joined him.

Holly wrapped her arm around John, careful not to press into his back. She once again rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. _His heartbeat._


	23. LIFE BEGINS AT 40

December 9, 1980

Holly awoke, completely unsure of what time it was. She and John had fallen asleep sometime after 7:00 AM. He was still asleep next to her, laying on his side with one arm partially draped over her waist. She slowly slid out of John's grasp and got up, quietly opening the door and making her way to the bathroom. When she came back, Holly attempted to slip back into bed without disturbing John, but instead she managed to wake him.

"Morning," he said with a yawn. 

"Probably more like 'afternoon' now," Holly laughed, sitting up in the bed and leaning against the headboard. 

After a few minutes, John got up and decided to head out into the apartment. Holly stayed behind for a bit, unsure of what all might be happening out there and not wanting to be in the way. John left the door partially open, and Holly could hear muffled voices. 

When Holly finally ventured out of the bedroom she found herself in a sea of people. Many of the same faces from last night were in the living room and kitchen. The phone was ringing and Fred walked over to it and answered it. In the kitchen Sean was sitting at the table with Helen eating lunch, and Rosaura was at the stove preparing something. The clock on the wall showed that it was just after 1:30 PM. 

Holly sat down at the table next to Sean who looked up at her with a grin, blissfully unaware of the previous night's events. 

"You wanna see my car?" Sean asked with a mouthful of food. 

"Sure!" Holly smiled. 

Sean held up a small toy car just inches away from Holly's face. He then took it and vrrooomed it on the table. 

"That's a really neat car," Holly said as Sean continued to roll the car around the table and up Holly's arm. She smiled at Helen who seemed amused by the interaction.

Helen took Sean's plate from the table. As she guided Sean out of the kitchen, Helen turned back to Holly. "I'll see you in a bit," she said. "I'm gonna get him situated in his room."

Rosaura asked Holly if she would like something to eat, and within a few minutes a plate was placed in front of her. The phone continued to ring periodically. Sometimes someone would answer it, and other times it would just ring until the caller decided to hang up. There was a continual stream of people in and out of the apartment. From what Holly could gather from overheard conversations various media outlets were relentlessly trying to get interviews and statements from the Lennons. 

"I don't give a flying fuck what she wants to do!"

Holly turned to see John walking in to the kitchen talking to Elliot Mintz. 

"She wants to give a damn statement, then let her," John continued. " _I'm_ not giving any interviews or making any _statements_ today." He walked to the stove and poured a cup of tea from the kettle. "Where the fuck is she, even? I haven't seen her at all since it happened, have I?"

"Yoko has been in the office fending off some of the questions being tossed our way, and trying to appease the media," Elliot responded in an eerily calm voice. "It's been suggested that this ordeal could be beneficial as some publicity for the album."

John sat down at the table across from Holly. "Well they can all sod off. Yoko included. I almost died and she thinks it can sell more albums? Fuck them all!"

"Perhaps we can discuss this in private," Elliot replied with a quick glance at Holly. "Once you've had a chance to cool off."

"I _am_ fucking cooled off!" John bellowed. "I told you if Yoko wants to make a damn _statement_ , then fine. She certainly wouldn't bother to ask my damn opinion first, would she?  
_I'm_ the one that got fucking shot, right?"

Elliot gave a small nod and retreated from the kitchen. Holly continued to sit silently at the table. She watched as John got up, paced around the kitchen, and then sat back down.

"Un-fucking-believable," he finally said. 

"What is?" Holly asked. 

"The whole damn thing," he sighed. "I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose. Yoko's all business; all money. Figures she would try and turn this into some kind of money maker."

"That is a bit distasteful, isn't it?" Holly replied. "I'm sure you don't need to make some public statement right now. Especially since your publicity agent already did."

John didn't respond. He simply took a sip of his tea and stared at the table, doodling on it with his finger. The telephone began to ring again in the background. After a few moments John finally looked up at Holly. 

"When are you leaving?" he asked with a somber expression. 

"I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it yet." Holly paused for a beat. "Probably some time today, I guess."

"You could just stay, you know."

Holly gave a halfhearted smile. "I can't, John," she said quietly. "You know I can't."

"No, I _don't_ know that," he responded. "You could stay here. Stay with me. Tell me what to do with my life."

"Well there's the catch-22," Holly replied, trying to soften the mood. "Even if I _could_ stay, I have no idea what you should do with your life. It's all uncharted waters from now on." Holly stood up and moved over to the chair next to John. "Everything I knew about you ended last night. I can't tell you anything anymore."

John looked into her eyes, seeming to search for something. "Well you could still stay. Just for the hell of it." He looked back at the table. "I don't want you to go."

Holly felt her heart break a little. She had to stifle the urge to just say _okay I'll stay_. The relationship she had developed with John was not something she had expected when she started this mission. It was not a romantic one; it was something beyond that. John, who spent his entire life not trusting people, somehow trusted _her_. Holly had been a constant in his life for over twenty years, even if only a sporadic one. 

Holly put her hand on top of John's. "I hope you know that I don't want to go either." She linked her fingers in between his. "But if I don't make this last jump, I'll be risking my career. Possibly even my life."

The phone started ringing again, and John stood up. "I'm gonna lose my damn mind if that bloody phone doesn't stop."  

"Why don't we take a walk or something?" Holly suggested. "Or go back over next door? Just to get away from the noise and people."

 

Sitting down on the couch in the guest apartment, Holly watched John intently. He walked around the room, tinkering mindlessly with random items. She observed him silently, letting John gather his thoughts; not wanting to push him into conversation. He finally joined her on the couch. 

"You could stay for a little while," continuing the conversation from the kitchen. "A week or two maybe?"

"Wouldn't that just be delaying the inevitable?" Holly responded. "John, you _have_ to know that I don't want to go. If I could stay... Fuck," she said with a long sigh. "If I could stay, I would in a heartbeat. But listen..." she paused, trying to choose the right words. "Even if I completely ignore the facts about risking my career and my safety, the other side of it is I already exist here now."

"What does that matter?" John asked. 

"There's a little baby Holly laying in a hospital nursery right now. Little baby me. Same fingerprints, same genetics, same _everything_. It's only a matter of time before that causes its own set of issues."

John shook his head lightly. "I forgot how you said you were just born." He took a deep breath and let it out. "Where?"

"Where what?"

"Where were you born? Where is baby Holly laying in a hospital nursery?"

Holly grinned. "Not all that far from here, actually. A couple hours away in the suburbs of Philadelphia."

"Aren't you curious to see yourself? To go see your childhood?" John asked. 

"A little bit," Holly admitted. "That poses its own risks, though. But it does kinda bring me to my next point." She paused for a moment. "I still have one more jump. This doesn't have to be the end of things. I'll hopefully see you again."

"Yeah, and you get to just jump ahead while I'm stuck here waiting. Like always," John scoffed. 

Holly looked at John. "I'm sorry. I really am."

John sighed and leaned back into the couch. "I know," he said. "I guess I've just kinda gotten used to you. This is the longest you've stuck around."

"Yeah, I suppose it is," Holly replied with a small chuckle. "But I'll see you again next time. And I'll stay for awhile again. I promise."

"Will you show me a few more things before you leave?" John asked. "Sean and Julian again, all grown up?"

"Sure."

The two of them sat on the couch in the guest apartment for the better part of an hour. Holly answered as many of John's questions as she could. She figured there was no point in worrying about changing future events since everything had already been drastically changed with John not dying. 

She showed him pictures of Sean and Julian as adults, along with a few older pictures of Paul, George, and Ringo. John was particularly amused at seeing his former band mates, "old fucks" as he called them. 

"You should probably get back to your place. I'm sure people are wondering where you went," Holly pointed out. "And I'd like to say goodbye to Helen and Rosaura before I go."

John nodded with a sigh. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Back in John's apartment there were still people coming and going. Thankfully the phone was no longer ringing because Fred was currently using it. Holly said her goodbyes to Helen and Rosaura, explaining that she had to get back home to deal with some family issues. John brought Sean to say a quick goodbye to Holly. 

"For you," Sean giggled, handing her the toy car from earlier

"Aw, thank you, Sean," Holly replied. "This is the best car anyone has ever given me!"

Sean giggled again and leaned against his dad's legs, circling them while holding on with one hand. 

"I suppose Yoko won't be upset if I don't say goodbye to her," Holly said to John.

John gave a hollow laugh. "I'm beginning to wonder if she'd even be upset if _I_ didn't say goodbye and just left."

 

Back in the guest apartment Holly attempted to stuff all of the items she accumulated over this visit into her travel bag. John sat on the bed watching her. 

"If you have to go, I at least want to see you disappear again," he said. "Get a better look this time."

Holly smiled. "Of course," she said, sitting down next to John on the bed. "So, this is it."

John nodded. 

"Take care of yourself for the next five years, okay? Make sure you're still around for me to find. No skydiving or alligator wrestling," she joked. 

John gave a halfhearted smile. "I'll do my best."

Holly stood up and John joined her. "I'll see you soon," Holly said. 

"Soon," John echoed. 

He pulled Holly into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. They stayed in this position for quite some time until Holly took a deep breath and released from the hug. Before she could step away, John put a hand on either side of her head and leaned forward, kissing her on the forehead. 

"I get the feeling you might try and slap me if I went for a kiss on the lips," he smirked as he pulled away.

Holly laughed a little. "I guess you'll never know," she said with a smile and stepped back a few feet. "There's always next time."

"Oh, you're a big tease, aren't you?" John scolded. 

"Bye for now."

"Bye for now," John repeated, and he sat down on the bed to watch her go. 

Holly stared into John's eyes for as long as she could - until he was no longer there and was replaced by the colorful light show. 

 

June 9, 1985

Holly soon found herself in a moderately wooded area. She looked around hoping to be able to see some sign of civilization. It was chilly but not uncomfortably so. She knew that here in Australia the seasons were reversed from what she was accustomed to in America, so June was the beginning of winter. 

From the beginning this jump was the one she had been dreading the most. If she had failed to keep John alive, she would be devastated. Now, even knowing that she had succeeded, this particular jump was still unpleasant simply because of the amount of travel it would take to get back to John. 

It took about five minutes of walking before Holly found her way out of the woods and to a gas station. Using a pay phone she called for a cab to pick her up and deliver her to the international airport in nearby Sydney. 

As she was making her way to the ticket desk it suddenly occurred to her that for the first time in this entire mission she had no idea where she needed to travel. John could be anywhere at this point. She couldn't even be fully certain he was still alive. 

Holly decided that New York was her best bet. If he wasn't there she could make further travel arrangements.

It took Holly almost a full twenty four hours to get from Australia to New York City. She had to switch flights two times. By the time she made it to The City, she was exhausted even though it was only 4:00 PM. Holly took a cab back to the same hotel she had just checked out of a few days ago back in 1980.

Once inside her new room, Holly picked up the phone and dialed the number to the apartment at the Dakota. It rang, unanswered, until Holly finally hung up. She didn't try the office number figuring that if anyone was going to answer it would be Yoko. 

Holly sighed, "This is when the internet would really come in handy."

Even though she was exhausted, Holly decided to venture out and look for a music store. If nothing else, she could ask a few questions about John there, and not sound too out of place. A hotel worker informed her of one just a few blocks away.  

Walking in, Holly wandered through the store, finally settling in the "L" section. "Crazy for You" by Madonna was playing over the sound system as she rifled through some cassette tapes. She finally found the grouping of John's. Mixed in among the titles she knew so well was one she had never seen before. Holly pulled it out and examined it. 

The front cover displayed a picture of John. He was sitting in a large, almost throne-like chair in a room filled with different types of clocks - everything from a large grandfather clock, right down to a pocket watch in John's hand. The words on the cover said _Time Stands Still_ , and the copyright on the liner said 1982. 

"A new album," Holly marveled. 

A huge smile grew across her face as she flipped the cassette over to look at the song list. Many of the titles were ones that ultimately were released on his posthumous album _Milk and Honey_ , such as "I'm Stepping Out," "Borrowed Time," and "Grow Old With Me," but there were some titles that Holly hadn't heard of before. She quickly grabbed a Walkman and a pack of batteries from a shelf, and went to the counter to pay for them. 

"Um, do you happen to know if John Lennon still lives around here?" Holly tried to casually ask the cashier. "Didn't he live in the Dakota?"

"Um, yeah I think so," the teenaged girl with crimped hair and blue eyeshadow responded. "I don't really know."

_Well that was helpful_ , Holly thought as she left the store. 

Holly decided to walk to the Dakota. She had hoped that perhaps the doorman would be someone she knew from five years ago, but she soon realized that was not the case. 

"Excuse me," Holly said to the doorman. "Does John Lennon still live here?"

"Yes, he does," the man nodded. 

Holly let out a small sigh of relief. "Okay, thanks."

Knowing there was no way for her to get into the Dakota, she headed back in her hotel room, Holly popped batteries in her newly purchased Walkman and quickly inserted the cassette tape, feeling strangely reminiscent of her childhood. She put on the small headphones, pressed the play button, and music filled her ears. 

_When I was younger -_  
_Living confusion and deep despair -_  
_When I was younger -_  
_Living illusion of freedom and power -_

She recognized the first song immediately as "Borrowed Time," but the song was fully fleshed out, and no longer the demo-style song she knew. 

Hearing John's voice made Holly feel a deep need to find him, to talk to him, and to see him again. She picked up the phone and dialed John's apartment once more. After four rings, the line finally picked up. 

"Hello?"

Holly instantly recognized the voice. "Um, hi, Rosaura? This is Holly."

"Holly?"

"I'm afraid it's been a few years since I've seen you," Holly began. "I was staying at the apartment with John for awhile right around the time when he was shot. I'm hoping you remember me."

"Oh! Yes, yes! Holly! It has been many years, yes. John still talks about you. How are you?"

"I'm good! I'm so glad you remember me!" Holly exclaimed. "Is John there? Could I speak to him?"

"Oh, no, no. He is not here. You should try his apartment."

Holly froze for a moment. "His... apartment?"

"Yes, of course. He does not come here often. Try his number."

"Oh, of course," Holly lied. "I actually don't have that number with me right now, which is why I called here hoping to find him. Any chance you could give it to me?"

Holly placed the phone back in the cradle of its base and stared at the seven digits written on the paper in front of her. _His apartment. His number._ Holly could only assume that John and Yoko had split up, but she didn't give herself time to think too much before she grabbed the phone again and dialed. It took six rings before the line finally picked up. 

"Hello?"


	24. YOU SAVED MY SOUL

June 9, 1985

"John??" Holly practically yelled into the phone. 

There was a small pause on the other end of the line. "Who is this?"

"Christ, you've forgotten my voice that quickly? It hasn't even been the full five years!" Holly laughed. 

"You!" John exclaimed. "Where are you?!"

"Right down the street! I stopped by hoping I'd recognize the doorman but I didn't. Then I tried calling and got Rosaura." Holly was talking a mile a minute. "What's going on? You have your own apartment now?"

"Stop talking and just come see me, future girl!" John ordered. "I'll call down to security and tell them to let you through."

A few moments later Holly was inside the Dakota making her way up to the seventh floor. It was then she realized that John didn't tell her which apartment was _his_. Taking her best guess she knocked on the guest apartment that she had stayed in previously. 

Almost immediately the door swung open and John was standing just a few feet away from her. He didn't look all that different than he did five years ago, but it was noticeable that he had put on a little weight. He no longer had that gaunt, frail look to him. His hair was short, in a similar cut as when she last saw him. He was wearing cut-off blue jeans and a white t-shirt with the words _Enjoy a Coca-Cola_ over a picture of a red Corvette. 

Before saying anything else Holly stepped closer and wrapped her arms around John, hugging him tightly. John returned the hug equally as fiercely. 

"So you really didn't recognize me on the phone?" Holly asked, pulling away from John. 

"You surprised the shit out of me!" John exclaimed. "I wasn't expecting a phone call. You always show up in person."

John moved out of the doorframe and allowed Holly to walk inside. The apartment looked different than what she remembered. A lot of the furniture was the same, but instead of being sparsely decorated like before it was now full of trinkets and clutter. It looked less like a guest house, and more like a fully lived-in home. 

"So you live over here now?" Holly asked as she put her bag down and sat on the couch. 

"Yeah, for the most part," John began, joining her on the couch. "At least until Yoko ever gets her shit out."

Holly gave him a sideways look. John went on to explain that he and Yoko had spent most of 1981 growing farther and farther apart while still living together in the apartment. They officially separated in 1982, and the divorce went through in 1983. John had taken to staying in the guest apartment just to keep his distance from Yoko while their lawyers dealt with the logistics of dividing up the estate. 

"I was supposed to get the main apartment and _she_ was supposed to take this one, but we all know how Yoko always manages to get her way," John explained. "Actually I _did_ get that apartment, but the bitch won't fucking leave. Moved Sam in there an' everything."

"Won't leave?" Holly blurted. 

"The lawyers are having a fucking field day with it all." John leaned back into the couch. "She doesn't want to leave, and I've stopped giving a fuck if she does. So," he sighed, sweeping his arms in a grand gesture, "here I am."

Holly shook her head. "That's unbelievable."

Shrugging his shoulders, John responded, "Eh, not really. 'Sides, I don't need that place. Let her stay there with all the bad mojo it has. I'm fine over here. Plus I've got a house in London, too, for when I see Julian."

Holly smiled, "So you've kept up with seeing Julian? I know that was always a strained relationship."

"Yeah," John nodded. "I'm trying to make up for lost time. He's a grown man now. I was such an awful father for most of his life. I'm trying to be less awful for the rest of it."

"What about Sean?" Holly asked. "How's he handling the divorce?"

"Oh, he's fine. It wasn't even all that much of a change for him. He still lives in the other apartment," John said. "I'm here, Yoko's there. He still sees us both the same as he always did."

"Well I'm really glad to hear that, especially about Julian." Holly had always felt bad for him. He definitely got the short end of the stick in terms of having John around and involved as a father. 

John smiled at Holly, "Yeah, I'm just trying to keep on track and do what I want to do instead of what everyone else wants me to do."

"I saw your new album," Holly said with a smile. 

John gave her a quizzical look. "It hasn't even been released yet."

"Huh? The one with all the clocks?" Holly explained. "I just saw it in the music store. I _bought_ it."

"Oh! That's not new!" John laughed. "That came out years ago."

"Well it's new to me!" Holly replied. "You weren't around to make that album, remember?" She paused, "Although some of the songs on it did get released as demos after you died. Yoko put out a album a few years after called _Milk and Honey_." 

"She released that?" John asked. "That was the working title of our next album. Well, before everything went to shit." He leaned forward on the couch, "I intentionally didn't use it."

"How did you come up with _Time Stands Still_ for the title?"

"It was a bit of an homage to you, actually," John explained. "The whole _time_ travel thing. Plus the fact that if it weren't for you I wouldn't have had any time left." He gave a sheepish grin, "And honestly while everything was going to shit all I could think of was how I wished you were around to give me advice. Waiting for you to show up felt like time was standing still."

"Wow," Holly marveled. The fact that she had partially inspired a John Lennon album was almost too much to take in. 

"It worked out nicely with the songs, too. 'Borrowed Time' and 'Grow Old With Me' are all about time and whatnot." He paused for a beat. "This next album's gonna be even better, though," John continued. 

Holly could barely believe it. New albums, new songs, new John. "Well, it sounds like you've been very busy since I left."

John chuckled, "I suppose." Standing up from the couch he added, "But now you're back, and if I remember correctly you promised to stay awhile."

Holly nodded with a smile, "Yes, I did promise that. And I will."

That evening Holly and John had dinner at John's favorite restaurant nearby, Cafe La Fortuna. They sat at a table in the back of the restaurant; apparently his "usual" spot. While they dined, John gave Holly even more details about the previous four and a half years of his life. 

He and May Pang had gotten back together, off and on, after John and Yoko's separation. They still saw each other occasionally, but it was more of a casual relationship than anything. Yoko and Sam Havadtoy were still together. There was some talk about a Beatles reunion concert, possibly televised live, but it was all talk at that point. Even as tired as Holly was from her traveling, she sat there hanging on every word John said, amazed at all of it. 

Back at the apartment John turned the TV on and poured himself a drink, offering one to Holly as well. "You're staying here, right?"

"As long as it's okay with you," Holly replied, which drew a laugh from John. 

The two of them sat on the couch, sipping their drinks and continuing their conversation. Holly ended up drifting off to sleep at some point. She awoke to John nudging her, and then guiding her back to the bedroom in her half-asleep state. From there Holly's head hit the pillow and she was out for the night. 

The next morning Holly woke up with John's arm draped over her. She let out an amused chuckle as she remembered being in this exact position the last time she shared a bed with him. As she rolled over, John stirred awake. 

"We've really got to stop meeting like this, future girl," John said groggily. "You disappear for years and years, and then expect to just pop right back in bed with me." He grinned at Holly and then rolled onto his back. 

"Well I do believe it was _you_ who asked me to stay here last night," Holly joked. 

A few minutes later the phone rang, and John got up to answer it. While he was gone, Holly made her way to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Once she was dressed she found John sitting in the kitchen smoking a cigarette and looking through a folded newspaper on the table. 

"Do you have any big plans for the day?" Holly asked, running her fingers through her damp hair. 

"Nothing in particular. Why? What did you have in mind?" John asked as he looked up from the paper. 

"Well," Holly chose her words carefully, "I was thinking of taking a day trip to the Philly area."

John looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "What for?"

"Do you remember where I told you I was born?"

Suddenly John's eyes lit up. "You're gonna go find yourself, aren't you?"

Holly nodded and sat down at the kitchen table next to John. "I don't have to do it today. I thought maybe if you were busy or had plans I could just slip away for a few hours. But I'll do it another day."

"Well _now_ I have plans," John responded. 

"Huh?" Holly gave him a confused look. 

"I'm going with you!" John announced. 

Holly laughed. "Well that might make things a little difficult. The whole point is to stay inconspicuous. Having a world famous musician next to me might make that a bit hard."

"Not a problem," John replied. "A hat and big sunglasses and I'm good to go. Most people aren't _expecting_ to see someone famous so they don't actually realize it when they do." He looked into Holly's eyes. "There's no way in hell I'm passing up the chance to see you as a kid."

Holly easily relented. Within a short time John had arranged his driver to take them on the two hour drive to a town called Ridley Park located just outside of Philadelphia. As they exited off the highway, she guided the driver to a parking lot situated next to a city park. 

Holly looked out the window and pointed. "See that building over there?" 

John nodded. 

"That's the daycare I went to until I started kindergarten," Holly explained. "Four year old me should be in there right now."

"So now what?" John asked. "Are you gonna go over there?

Holly shook her head, "No, that wouldn't work. We're just going to wait here." She pointed to a playground situated within the park, "Every afternoon they walked us over to play at the playground. We're just going to wait here until they do that."

At around 3:15 PM a line of children could be seen walking down the sidewalk in the direction of the park. There were adults at the front and back of the line who were obviously the daycare workers. 

"That's us!" Holly exclaimed, peering through the window of the car. 

"Which one is you?" John asked as he leaned in. 

"I can't tell yet. Wait til they get closer." Holly turned to look at John. "Get your hat and glasses and whatever else. We're gonna take a walk."

The park had a long, winding pathway that snaked around the greenery. John and Holly wandered around until they came to a grouping of benches and picnic tables situated near the playground. They sat down at one of the tables facing the wooden climbing structures filled with playing children. 

"All right, which one?" John asked again, nudging Holly with an elbow. 

Squinting, Holly's eyes darted back and forth observing the group of children as they ran, jumped, and climbed. 

"There!" she exclaimed, and a huge smile formed across her face. 

"Where?" John blurted loudly. "Which one?"

"Shhhh! Keep your voice down," Holly chastised. "We're not here to kidnap anyone!" She turned back to look at the children. "Do you see the little girl by the swings? White and baby blue dress?"

John nodded. "That's you?"

"Mmm hmm. It's funny, I actually remember that dress."

They watched as little Holly leaned over a swing, resting her stomach on the flexible seat. She pushed off the ground with her feet and formed her arms into a superman stance to "fly" through the air as she swung back and forth. 

"That's really actually _you_?" John asked, leaning over towards Holly and resting his cheek on her shoulder. 

"Yeah," Holly responded, not taking her eyes off the younger version of herself. "This is actually kinda surreal. Like watching a movie of yourself, only it's not a movie."

The two of them sat watching the children play for forty five minutes. At one point young Holly and a few other children came running over to the empty benches next to the picnic tables. Holly and John were able to get a better view of her as she climbed and jumped off the bench with the others. Then the daycare workers rounded everyone up and began the walk back to the building. 

"She _did_ look a bit like you," John commented after the group was gone. 

Holly laughed, "Well she had better look like me seeing as how she _is_ me!"

Back in the car Holly gave the driver directions, and they drove past her childhood home. She pointed out which window belonged to her bedroom. She told John the story of how that little girl they just saw would soon break her arm from a fall while trying to climb the tall tree in the front yard. 

During the car ride back to New York Holly was lost in her own thoughts. She leaned into John who lifted an arm around her, allowing Holly to nestle into him. 

"You're a bit quiet," John noted. 

"There's just so many things I wish I could tell that little girl," Holly finally said. "She looked so innocent. I wish I could warn her about a few things, and tell her that she'll be okay."

"I think we all feel that way about ourselves," John said. "Only difference is _you_ could actually do it."

"No," Holly shook her head. "I can't do that. I suppose I turned out all right. No need to confuse my younger self."

By the time they made it back to the Dakota it was after 7:00 PM. Holly was still feeling a bit pensive as she and John sat on the couch. 

"So how long are you staying this time?" John asked interrupting her thoughts. "Long enough for me to convince you to stay for good?"

"A few days," Holly replied with a grin. "You know I can't possibly stay here forever."

John leaned in close to Holly. "You haven't even given me a chance to persuade you." 

John's eyes looked deeply into Holly's. She noticed the fine lines around his eyes and realized that John was now a full five years older than her. Her mind briefly flashed back through all the various incarnations of John that she visited throughout her jumps, and then marveled at the forty four year old John in front of her now. 

"Persuade me?" she questioned.

John leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Holly's lips. "The entire time I've known you, which is most of my life by the way, you've never once tried anything with me. Why is that?"

Holly didn't know how to respond. She was still a bit shocked by the kiss. 

"Well, I suppose it just wasn't something in my plan," she finally replied. "Along with always being married, you've spent your entire life having girls throw themselves at you. My whole reason for being here was to save you, not sleep with you."

John's face was still only inches away from Holly's. "If I hadn't spent most of the time being half terrified of you, I would have kissed you a long time ago."

"Terrified of me?"

"You're one of the only girls who never seemed intimidated by me," John explained. "You didn't _want_ anything from me. You would lay in bed with me and just _be there_ instead of trying to rip my clothes off." He raised an eyebrow, " _That_ was fucking terrifying."

"Well I most certainly _was_ intimidated by you," Holly confessed. "I just chose not to let it show. And as for laying in bed, well..." she paused for a beat, "you never tried to rip my clothes off either. So I didn't even think that was on your mind."

John leaned in and placed another kiss on Holly's lips. Pulling away briefly, he whispered, "It was on my mind, future girl," and then went back for another kiss, this time placing a hand at the nape of Holly's neck. 

She knew this was likely not a good idea, but caught up in the moment, Holly let him kiss her. In fact, she _wante_ d him to kiss her. The room around her seemed to melt away and she let her attention focus fully on John and the taste of his lips on hers. 

John pulled her from the couch and they fumbled towards the bedroom. Falling onto the bed in a tangle of arms and legs, they both attempted to remove various clothing items with very little gracefulness. 

Holly soon lost all sense of time. Whether it had been five minutes or five hours since they first kissed, she had no idea. All she knew was that she was laying naked in bed with John Lennon, fully exhausted in the best way possible.  

"I've wanted to do that since we were sitting together in Paul's glass dome," John smirked. "I probably should have."

Holly sighed with a smile, "No, it's probably good that you didn't. That could have messed a lot of things up." She propped herself up with an elbow, "It probably still could."

John sat up in the bed, criss-crossing his legs in front of himself under the thin bed sheet. He reached for a guitar that was leaning against the side table next to the bed. Then he began to strum a tune and sing lightly. 

_When I was lonely and scared,_  
_I nearly fell for a TV preacher_  
_In a hotel room in Tokyo._  
_Oh, you saved me from that suicide_  
_Because all the things, I die along with you._

_Remember the time_  
_When I went to jump out of that apartment window_  
_On the west side of town_  
of ol' New York.  
_Oh, you saved me from that suicide_  
_Because of all my foolish pride._  
_Well, if I could thank you_  
_For saving my soul with your true love._

"That was beautiful," Holly said when he finished singing. 

"It's about you, ya know."

"What?!"

"Well, not the entire thing, I suppose," John went on. "The thing about jumping out the window." He continued to randomly strum the guitar while he spoke. "When shit got bad and Yoko was really fucking with me during the divorce, I stood here in this apartment looking out the window. I thought maybe I should say 'fuck it all' and jump out the damn thing. But then I remembered what you said about not doing anything stupid like skydiving or alligator wrestling. I figured jumping out of windows probably fell into that category."

Holly was speechless. When starting this journey to save John, she never could have imagined that her words or actions could have such an affect on him. 

"So," John continued, placing the guitar down, "how well did phase one work in my attempt to persuade you to stay? If you need more convincing, there's always phase two," he said with a raised eyebrow. 

"I..." Holly didn't know how to respond "I don't know..." she trailed off. Her mind was reeling, conflicted between what she was feeling for John and the knowledge that she simply couldn't stay here with him without massive repercussions. 

"Phase two it is, then," John replied, and leaned over to kiss her as he climbed on top of her naked body.


	25. GROW OLD WITH ME

June 11, 1985 

Holly stared at the ceiling of the bedroom, unable to sleep anymore. It wasn't quite dawn yet, but she watched the white curtains on the window change from gray to yellow and finally to a warm orange as the rising sun slowly brightened the sky outside.

She turned her head to look at John. He was sleeping soundly on his side, his face nuzzled into her upper arm. One of his legs was bent and resting on top of Holly's bare thigh. She sighed as she watched him sleep, smiling as she replayed the events of that night in her mind. 

Holly didn't regret any of it, although she knew it would make things that much more difficult when it was time for her to leave. No matter how badly John wanted her to stay, or how tempting it was for her to do so, there was simply no way that she could. 

Sunlight was now pouring through the window, muted slightly by the fabric of the curtains. Holly inched her face closer to John's and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. She then slipped gingerly out of the bed, threw on a t-shirt, and walked out into the living room. 

Standing at the window, she looked down and watched miniature people walking on the sidewalks below, possibly on their way to work or school, or perhaps just out for a stroll. The quietness in the living room was a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle outside. 

Holly was deep in thought when she felt John's body behind her, pressing into her back and wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned her head back against his bare chest, and they stood silently looking out the window for a few minutes. 

"I didn't mean to wake you up," she said. "I just couldn't sleep."

"I thought maybe you were trying to make your getaway," John replied with a grin. "Love 'em and leave 'em, and all."

Holly turned to face John with a small laugh. "I'm not gonna go 'Norwegian Wood' on you."

John looked at her with a confused expression. 

"When I awoke I was alone. This bird had flown?" Holly half-spoke, half-sang. 

"Ah, yes," John replied with a nod and a smile. "I forgot about that one." He brushed a stray strand of Holly's hair behind her ear with his fingers. "So, breakfast? I don't know about you, but I seem to have worked up an appetite after last night."

Holly returned John's smile and again replayed select moments of the previous night in her mind. "What do you have in the kitchen? I'll make us something."

"Your guess is as good as mine. Rosaura does the shopping."

After a bit of scrounging around Holly put together a breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and a small fruit salad. They sat at the kitchen table eating, both still only partially clothed; John in his cut off jeans, and Holly in a long t-shirt that fell just below her underwear. 

"So you never did give me a straight answer," John noted, finishing up the last of his breakfast. "

"About what?" Holly asked, although she had a good idea what he meant. 

"About staying."

Holly took a deep breath. "John," she began. 

"No, no, no, future girl," John quickly interrupted. "None of this 'John' business," he mimicked her tone. "Tell me you'll stay. That's all."

"I can't do that."

"Okay, then _don't_ tell me you'll stay. Just stay."

Holly looked at John apologetically, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry, John."

John didn't say anything immediately. His eyes peered into Holly's, and his demeanor stiffened. "Why?"

"I would love nothing more than to stay here with you- "

"Fuck _off_ with that bullshit!" John interrupted. "If you'd _love_ to stay so much then you would just fucking stay." He stood up from the table, knocking his chair backwards, and walked out of the kitchen. 

Holly watched him leave. With a small sigh she stood up and gathered their plates, taking them to the sink. When she walked into the living room John was sitting on the edge of the couch, smoking a cigarette and strumming on an acoustic guitar. She walked back over to the window and continued her people-watching from earlier, this time soundtracked by John's guitar chords. 

After a few minutes Holly left the window and joined John on the couch, listening quietly as he played. She recognized the tune as a song he wrote for Harry Nilsson during his time in LA. As she sat down he began to sing. 

_Mucho mungo, sweet thing,_  
_Sweetest little thing I've ever seen._  
_Must have been a sweet dream, brought you here,_  
_Brought you through the sorrow and the tears._  
_C'est la, c'est la, c'est la vie,_  
_Sail upon the ocean, sail with me...._

While Holly knew that song was in no way written for her, the lyrics still pulled on her heartstrings. She slowly slid closer to John on the couch. Working her way around so that she was sitting completely behind him, Holly draped her legs on either side of his and wrapped her arms around his bare torso. 

"I'm sorry, John," Holly murmured as she rested her head on his back. "I'm sorry I can't stay here forever, but I _can_ stay for a few more days. So please let's not spend them being angry and upset."

John didn't reply immediately. After a few moments he stopped strumming and leaned the guitar on the coffee table in front of him. "After you left last time I really thought that when you showed up again I could convince you to stay for good."

Holly sighed and pulled a leg back around John so that she was sitting next to him again. "Tell me this. If I stayed what do you think would happen? I would move in with you and we would just live happily ever after?" 

John didn't respond. 

Holly looked into his eyes. "I never could have imagined that this mission would bring me to this point. I crossed my fingers that I could just get close enough that you might trust me and believe me. I never expected to end up in bed with you, much less laying awake thinking about what we might be feeling."

"And what's that?" John asked. 

"I love you, John," Holly said simply. "I can't say that I'm _in_ love with you, but..." she paused, taking a breath and running her fingers through her hair. "I love the shit out of you, John."

John laughed at her choice of phrasing. "I suppose when it comes down to it, maybe it's just the _idea_ of you I'm so hung up on. A magical girl that comes in and saves my life. Saves me from myself, even. But that being said, I love the shit out of you, too. And I still want you to stay."

Holly leaned over and placed a kiss on John's bare shoulder. "That was a really pretty song you were singing," she said, changing the subject. "You gave that one to Harry, didn't you?"

John nodded, "Yeah, on _Pussy Cats_."

"You should've kept it yourself. It suits your voice."

John picked up his guitar again and continued to play the song for Holly.

_C'est la, c'est la, c'est la vie._  
_Sail into the moment, sail with me._  
_Sail into tomorrow, everyday,_  
_Sail into the moonlight and through the haze._

_I see it in your eyes,_  
_You're a blessing in disguise._  
_My love on the skies._  
_Such a beautiful face,_  
_As if it came from inner space,_  
_And it's coming from a wonderful place._

 

The two of them spent the next few hours lounging around the apartment together. John played her some songs that would be on his next album, and Holly sat in amazement listening to melodies that never had the chance to be written in her timeline. 

Around 4:00 in the afternoon, after Holly and John had gotten showered and dressed, Rosaura came in to tidy the apartment. She brought Sean over with her as well. He was almost ten years old now, and it was uncanny how much he looked like a miniature version of John with Japanese features. Holly knew that Sean likely wouldn't remember her at all, but John attempted to re-introduce her anyway. 

John's assistant, Fred popped in around the same time, delivering a stack of paperwork which John immediately pushed aside. He sat down with John attempting to go over the recording studio schedule for his upcoming album sessions. Unlike Sean, Fred did remember Holly and they exchanged pleasantries. 

Holly chatted with Rosaura in the kitchen while Fred and John continued their conversation in the living room. Sean sat at the kitchen table with homework from school that day and Holly joined him at one point, looking over the sheet of math problems he was blasting through. 

For a split second Holly was hit with a sense of what might be if she stayed, but she quickly pushed it from her mind. Instead she focused her thoughts on her next jump which would bring her back to her own time. Holly had no idea if any of her plans or actions had been discovered by the team, and she had no way of finding out until she returned. 

Still sitting at the kitchen table next to Sean, Holly's mind wandered thinking of the different scenarios she might encounter once she returned to her own time. Would she be immediately arrested for tampering with the timeline as soon as she materialized? Would she be heralded a hero for successfully completing the first mission of multiple, consecutive time jumps? And what would be Tyler's fate if their secrets were discovered?

Holly let out a small sigh and tried to push all her thoughts aside. No matter what the outcome would ultimately be she would accomplish nothing by sitting there worrying about it. She turned her attention back to Sean at the table. Moments later Fred passed through to say his goodbyes, and John then joined them in the kitchen. 

By the time Rosaura finished her duties throughout the apartment it was nearly 7:00 PM. She had prepared dinner and left it in the oven to stay warm. Sean stayed to eat, and he and John spent time together. John showed him some chords on the guitar. By 9:00 PM it was time for Sean to return down the hall to Yoko's apartment. Helen knocked on the door to collect him. 

"Hey buddy," Helen said to Sean. 

"Listen to this!" Sean exclaimed as he strummed a perfectly fretted G chord. 

"Wow! That sounds great!" Helen replied. She turned and smiled at John before continuing. "Yoko's not home, so I'll be staying with Sean for the evening."

It was then that Helen noticed Holly sitting on the couch. Holly smiled and gave a small wave, curious if Helen remembered her. 

"Oh my God!" Helen cried. "You're back!"

Holly stood up and Helen gave her a quick hug. They spent a few minutes catching up while Sean gathered his belongings. 

Once they were alone again John and Holly curled up on the couch with the TV on. John constantly flipped from channel to channel using a remote control. He held it up in front of Holly. 

"This bloody thing is a lazy man's dream," he explained. "I can sit here and not move an inch and flip the channels for hours. It's fucking brilliant and awful all at once."

"Just wait," Holly warned. "Pretty soon everything will have a remote. That phone of mine," she continued, "I can change channels using that. Or I can bypass the TV all together and just watch shows directly on the phone."

John shook his head at Holly's description. "Will I have one of those things one day?"

"Probably," she answered. "So long as you're still around when they come out." She pointed to the cigarette John had just lit. "In which case, you might wanna give those up sooner rather than later."

John looked at her with a questioning expression. 

"Cigarettes kill people," Holly stated matter-of-factly. "They cause cancer... among many other things."

"Nah," John brushed her off. "And 'sides, I've tried quitting before. Just can't seem to do it."

"Well the research is out there already. Stick around long enough and you'll end up burying some of your friends and colleagues because of cigarettes."

John didn't respond, but he did stare at Holly while slowly placing the lit cigarette down into the ashtray on the coffee table. 

"There's medicines out there that can help you quit. Maybe ask Fred to pick you up a few things to try," Holly suggested. 

"Sure, okay," John replied with a small nod. 

After a moment he instinctually reached for the cigarette again. Holly laughed, which caused John to laugh as well. He smashed the cigarette out into the ashtray and pushed it away. 

"Maybe you'll just have to keep me occupied so I don't try and go for another ciggy," he said as he leaned into Holly, kissing her and running a hand under her shirt. 

They soon were fumbling with their clothes again, similar to the previous evening. Although this time they didn't bother moving to the bedroom. There on the couch they explored each other's bodies less frantically than the night before. Instead of ravenously devouring one another, they allowed themselves to slowly enjoy each other. Holly closed her eyes and tried to memorize the feel of John's warm skin and the taste of his lips on hers. Soon they were fully entwined, sharing a rhythm between them. 

Later that evening, once they had retired to the bedroom, John asked Holly about her life in the future. He inquired about her whereabouts and if he would be able to find her as she grew up in his timeline. 

"That's actually a very good question," Holly pointed out. "You have to promise me that you won't try to contact me in the coming years."

"Why?"

"Because the Holly that you saw the other day has no idea about any of this."

"Well I wasn't going to go traipsing up to a little child!" John exclaimed. "When you get a little older I could find you then."

"No," Holly said, shaking her head. "You can't do that either. You can't try to contact me until 2020."

"Why? I might not even be around then!" John sounded a bit exasperated. "You're going to leave and I can't so much as look for you for thirty five years?!"

Holly sighed and tried to explain. "It's not that you _can't_ go looking for me, John. The issue is that the Holly you'd find growing up right now would have absolutely no knowledge of any of this. She won't know you - well, I'm sure she'll _know_ you since you're famous - but she won't know any of our history or anything about saving you." 

"She won't be _you_ ," John said slowly. 

"Yes, exactly," Holly replied. "Until 2020, that girl... I.... won't have any knowledge of this mission." She shook her head trying to figure out if her words even made sense. "Basically, you can't try to reach me until August 10th of 2020." She paused for a moment, "Actually, August 12th. I'll be put in isolation for forty eight hours once I return."

"Isolation?"

"A decontamination of sorts," Holly explained. "Safety precautions."

John gave a somewhat confused nod, clearly not understanding Holly. 

"Anyway, once I've completed that," she continued, " _then_ you'd be able to find me, and _then_ it would be the _me_ that would remember all of this."

"Okay... So how do I go about finding you then?" John inquired. "Just look you up in the phone book? Go knocking on your door?" he laughed. 

Holly didn't have an answer. She hadn't thought that far ahead. If anything, she just assumed that she would go looking for John once she got back to her time. 

She played through a few options in her mind. Assuming that she and Tyler had succeeded in keeping their plan a secret, Holly realized that her movements might still be monitored by the CIA even after her days of isolation and debriefing. If she suddenly went on a spree of internet searches looking for information about John it might raise some red flags. 

Holly and John talked about their options for awhile, ultimately agreeing that John would attempt to call her in late August of 2020. She knew that a Google search of her name and city should lend most of her information - her address and home phone number. 

Scribbling on a scrap of paper, Holly explained, "I know thirty five years is a long time to keep a phone number, but here's the number that will call my cell phone - the one I have with me here," she nodded her head towards her bag. "As for everything else, you'll know how to look for me once the technology is available."

John took the paper and looked at it. 

"One more thing," Holly continued with a grimace. "My last name isn't actually Graham. The team gave me a fake name for the mission. It's really DuPont. You'll need to remember to look me up as Holly DuPont."

John seemed extremely overwhelmed with the amount of information Holly gave him, but for whatever reason he didn't question her. 

 

For the next three days Holly and John continued their time together. Some days were full of people and commotion, and others were spent with no outside interruptions. The night before Holly left she and John sat on the couch listening to music. He asked her numerous times to stay with him. 

At one point John stretched out and laid his head on Holly's lap. She absentmindedly stroked his hair, looking down at him. He was such a dichotomy - a fully grown man, but also a lost little boy that was given up by his mother. She knew that John had lost so many people in his life; his mom, his uncle George, Stu, Brian Epstein, the list could go on and on. Now he was about to lose Holly once more, only this time there was a very real possibility that he may never see her again. He would be 79 years old when Holly returned. Whether he would still be alive was unknown to either of them. 

They shared a final night of intimacy, and afterwards John held Holly tightly as they fell asleep. When they awoke the next morning they were both a bit quiet and subdued, neither one wanting to bring up the fact that Holly would be gone soon. 

By lunchtime Holly knew she shouldn't drag things out any longer. John had an interview scheduled later in the afternoon, and she wanted to leave before that. 

"You know, there's not a single picture of the two of us anywhere," John stated as Holly gathered her belongings. 

"That's very intentional on my part," Holly explained. "It would be pretty hard to explain how a picture of me existed before I existed."

"What about just one? If I promise to keep it secret?" John asked. "Just something I can look at and remember that you were actually real."

"I don't know, John," Holly began, but John had already retrieved a Polaroid camera. Holly chuckled, remembering owning one of the bulky, boxy cameras as a child. The sheer amazement of having pictures instantly pop out of the camera was a happy childhood memory.

"I'll never show it to another soul," John promised. "I'll keep it hidden away."

Even though she knew it was risky, Holly agreed. She offered to take the picture, holding the camera out in front of them in true "selfie" fashion.

The square photo popped out of the camera, and John held it as they both watched it slowly develop. It revealed a close up of their two smiling faces; Holly was looking forward at the camera, while John was in profile looking at her. 

"Put this somewhere no one else will ever see," Holly instructed. "God forbid this ever ends up published in a book or magazine..."

"Done and done," John replied and tucked it into a drawer. 

Holly stepped into John, hugging him tightly, and trying to hold on to her last moments with him. He held on to her just as tight. 

"Stay," John whispered in her ear. 

"Don't," Holly breathed. "Please."

They stood silently hugging for a long time, neither of them wanting to be the first to break away. Holly finally relented and pulled back. 

"Please take care of yourself. No more smoking, okay?" Holly said with a smirk. "I expect to be buying tickets to one of your concerts when I get back home."

"Tickets?" John laughed. "If I'm still around and performing, you better be backstage with me!"

They hugged one last time. Then Holly gathered her bag, phone, and a small orb. "I love you, John Lennon," she said. 

"I love you too, future girl," John responded. "I'll see you in another lifetime."

"And I'll see you soon."

Holly took a deep breath and looked at John with a wistful smile one final time before she was gone.


	26. YOU KNOW MY NAME (LOOK UP THE NUMBER)

August 10, 2020

Holly's eyes were closed as she materialized on the small glass standing pad in the laboratory. She had closed them as soon as John was no longer in her field of vision. She did this partially to try and burn the image of his face into her memory, and partially to keep the tears that were forming from falling down her cheeks.

Familiar voices filled the space around her, muffled ever so slightly by the speakers they were coming through. With a short, quick breath Holly composed herself and opened her eyes. She was greeted with a view of smiling faces. She returned the smiles, taking them as a good sign. 

Agent Samuel Thomas was standing closest to Holly, still on the other side of the glass. He motioned towards the isolet suit hanging on the wall. Holly took it and carefully stepped into it. She remembered the last time she wore the suit and how long ago that felt. She placed her large bag into the separate isolet unit and pressed the small button, vacuum sealing the items inside. 

Once she and her belongings were secured, Holly was allowed out of the locked area containing the standing pad. She went through the same procedures as when she first began this journey, only in reverse order this time. Her vitals were taken, along with a host of other tests and scans. She was then taken to the isolation and decontamination room where she would be spending the next 48 hours.

The door clicked and locked behind her. Holly let out a deep breath. This was the first moment she had to take a mental inventory of herself since she arrived. Well over a month had passed for her since she first jumped back in time, but here she was, right back on the exact same day that she left. To her coworkers who were monitoring her travels, only a few hours had passed. 

She was fairly certain that none of her activities had been discovered. She had tried to get a vibe from Tyler, but he had been so busy with his tasks that making eye contact was near impossible. 

She removed the bulky isolet suit and looked down at the clothes she was wearing - the same clothes that just hugged up against John a few hours earlier. She could still smell him. The scent of cigarettes and _John_ still lingered in her hair. 

Agent Brady's voice came through the intercom, startling Holly. "Welcome back Agent DuPont. Please proceed to the bathroom area for your decontamination shower. Remove your clothing and deposit them in the isolation bin."

Holly cringed. She had to physically force herself into the shower knowing that once she did she would effectively be washing John away. As soon as the water hit her face Holly allowed the tears she had been fighting to finally fall. 

It would be 48 hour before Holly could find out anything about John. Dinner was brought to her, and as she ate, her mind wandered between the events of her last few days with John, and the thoughts of what John might be doing at this moment. 

_Is he still alive? Will he be able to find me?_ Holly's thoughts were buzzing around in her head. There was nothing she could do to answer any of her own questions. 

During her two days in isolation Holly kept herself occupied with all the documents and paperwork she was assigned. There were also numerous physical tests she had to complete, along with ongoing monitoring to check for adverse side effects or reactions to her time jumps. 

But at night while she lay in bed her thoughts always returned to John. Having to wait to find out whether he was even still alive was tough, but the worst part was simply missing him. Holly never could have imagined that her trip to try and save John would culminate in a personal relationship with the man. 

On the morning that completed her time in isolation Holly was finally released from the room. She was reunited with some of her personal items from her bag, all of which had gone through a separate decontamination and testing. She then spent the next few hours in long meetings and debriefings. This was the first time that Holly was actually able to talk with Tyler.

"You doing okay?" Tyler asked as they made their way into the meeting room. 

"Yeah, I'm good," Holly replied. "I just feel like I have some crazy form of jet lag. Only different."

Tyler smiled and added, "We'll get together soon, huh? I'm dying to hear about your _jet lag_."

By the time all the meetings were over most of the day had passed. Holly was finally cleared to leave the building. She sat behind the steering wheel of her car. Her hands shook as she turned the keys in the ignition. Feeling extremely disoriented, Holly realized she was going _home_. Not a hotel room. Not the Dakota. Her home in her time.  
   
   
   
The first thing Holly did when she walked in the front door was to find her collection of Beatles books. Knowing that she had saved John meant that his murder would no longer be listed in any of the books. She was hoping to find more information about things John may have done after she left in 1985.

Holly leafed through a few of the books. Some seemed completely unchanged, as they were only about the Beatles and ended with their breakup. Others contained information about the four band members individually and their personal lives. As she looked through one particular book random memories began to pop into her head. The pages showed pictures of a Beatles reunion event that occurred in 1987. Holly started to remember seeing this event before. 

Holly shook her head, "How the hell do I remember this?" she whispered to herself. 

As she leafed through the pages more memories began to flood Holly's mind. She vividly remembered being a little child watching all four former Beatles playing together on TV. 

It didn't take long for Holly to realize what was happening. By changing John's timeline, she had effectively changed her own. The young Holly that she and John had watched on the playground had then gone on to grow up, never having experienced a world in which John was killed.

"I have both sets of memories," Holly gasped, raising a hand to her mouth. 

She could still fully remember her own childhood. She had no problem recalling the information regarding John's death and events surrounding it. But Holly also had flashes of other memories - ones in which John was alive and well for years, decades after 1980. 

Holly reached for her phone and immediately called Tyler. 

"Well that was quick," Tyler answered after two rings. "I thought you might need a night to decompress before you hit me up."

"I gotta talk to you."

"Of course," Tyler replied. "Where?"

"I don't know, anywhere. You pick."

"The park by your place? Give me twenty minutes."

"Sure. Twenty minutes," Holly replied and then hung up. 

Sitting in her car at the large park, Holly closed her eyes trying to recall more memories from the childhood she did, and yet didn't, experience. They were disjointed, and it was almost like trying to remember a dream. Her mind wanted to dismiss memories from a reality that she did not personally live through. 

A light tapping on the car window jolted Holly out of her thoughts. She saw Tyler standing outside of her driver's side door with a worried expression on his face. Opening the door, Holly got out slowly. She left her cell phone in the car, still very much aware that her words and actions could be monitored by the CIA. 

"You sure you're okay?" Tyler asked. 

"I'm fine," Holly replied. "Just trying to figure out what's happening in my head." As the pair began to walk into the park, she added, "You don't have your phone or anything on you, right?"

Tyler laughed, "Of course not. Now what's going on? We did it, right?"

Holly nodded. "Yeah, it worked. But now I'm having this crazy thing happen in my mind."

Tyler tilted his head and looked at Holly. "What's happening?"

"Double memories."

"How do you mean?"

Holly blew air through her pursed lips, trying to figure out how to explain things. "Okay. You know what I did because you know our plan, right?"

Tyler nodded. 

"But do you remember John Lennon ever being dead?" Holly asked. 

"No," Tyler replied with a small shake of his head. "The only reason I know anything about his death is because of everything I did leading up to the mission."

"Right. Well... I remember it all," Holly began. "I remember _my_ life - the life I lived where John had already died. But I also suddenly have all these other memories appearing in my head. I remember the Beatles getting back together for a reunion concert. John was alive and I _remember_ watching it as a kid." She rubbed her eyes for a second and looked at Tyler. "How is that possible?"

"It seems that since you were the cause of the change, your 'old' memories weren't affected once you came back." Tyler seemed almost giddy as he spoke. "This is exactly the kind of thing I wanted to find out about! I _knew_ there would be aspects of changing a timeline that needed to be explored."

"I'm sure there is, but what does this mean for me?"

Holly and Tyler found a bench and sat talking for quite awhile. According to Tyler, since Holly effectively caused the change and also existed in the timeline _as_ it changed, she was immune to the change itself. She was literally the only person in existence that had any memory of John Lennon's murder. Everyone else, even the members of Holly's team, all collectively had their memories, their experiences, and their timeline changed the moment that John didn't die.  
   
Later that evening, once she and Tyler parted ways and she returned to her home, Holly rifled through the small bag containing the personal items she had been allowed to keep from her travels. Most of the contents of her travel bag had been kept for further testing and would likely be destroyed or logged away in the lab. As she sifted through the small bag, her hand found something metallic. Holly was suddenly staring at the small car Sean had given her when she left 1980. 

"Oh my God, I forgot all about this," Holly marveled. She had no idea how the car wasn't kept by the lab. She could only assume that Tyler played some part in this, likely realizing that the small toy meant something to Holly. 

Tears began to roll down Holly's cheeks. She thought back to her final goodbye with John. He had hugged her so tightly, pleading with her one last time to stay. This small toy car was the only physical item she had tying her to him. 

She spent the rest of the night looking through more of her books about the Beatles and John. As she did so, more memories of a childhood and life she didn't actually experience firsthand flooded her mind.

 

Six days passed and Holly was put on extended vacation. All of her testing and debriefing meetings had concluded, and she was approved for two weeks of paid vacation as a thank you for a job well done. 

At this point Holly felt that she was likely in the clear in terms of her actions being monitored after the mission. She began the slow process of learning the details of John's life after she left in 1985. 

Looking online, Holly was astounded to find multiple albums recorded and released by John over the past few decades. She found her way onto YouTube, and spent hours watching and listening to videos of John. Some were familiar, as she was still occasionally experiencing "new" memories, but many were not. 

She came across an album called _Time Traveling UFOs_. Holly blinked in shock wondering if this was some kind of homage to her. The album was copyrighted 1986, and on it there was a song titled "Now And Then (TeleGraham From the Future)." As soon as Holly saw the title, she laughed. There was no way this song could be anything other than a song for her. She quickly pressed play and listened as the music and John's voice filled the room. 

_I know it's true,_  
_It's all because of you_  
_And if I make it through,_  
_It's all because of you_  
_And now and then,_  
_If we must start again_  
_Well we will know for sure,_  
_That I love you_

_I don't want to lose you_  
_But if you have to go away_  
_If you have to go_

_Now and then,_  
_I miss you_  
_Oh now and then,_  
_I want you to return to me_

_I know it's true,_  
_It's all because of you_  
_And if you go away,_  
_I know you_  
_You'll never stay_

_I don't want to lose you_  
_But if you had to go,_  
_Well I won't stop you_

By the end of the song, Holly was in tears. Based on the release date of the album, John wrote this song shortly after she left for the final time. She quickly typed his name into Google, searching for information about where he currently lived and how she could contact him. She couldn't wait on him to contact her anymore. For all she knew, John didn't even remember when to find her, or how to get in touch with her. 

Her search yielded the information that John was still living in New York, and still at the Dakota. According to what she read, John had remarried twice after divorcing Yoko. He had a health scare in the late 90's involving lung cancer, and apparently had a portion of one lung removed. But he ultimately recovered and was cancer-free ever since. After the surgery he didn't have the stamina to perform live anymore, but he continued to write and record and also produced multiple albums for other artists. 

The next day, in the afternoon of August 20th, Holly boarded a train to New York City. A few hours later she arrived at Penn Station, jumped on the subway, and minutes later emerged onto West 72nd Street. The sense of déjà vu was overwhelming. So much of the city had changed since she last stood in that spot, but the Dakota building looked exactly the same.

Realizing once again that she had no way of being allowed past the doorman, Holly entered Central Park through the walkway into John's favorite section. Even though she knew it wouldn't be there, Holly looked for the Imagine mosaic. Once she settled down on one of the benches she pulled out her phone and stared at it for a minute, struggling to remember John's phone number. She had written it down the last time Rosaura had given it to her, but that was so long ago. _What are the chances he even still has the same number?_ she asked herself silently. 

Holly's first four attempts at remembering John's phone number resulted in voicemails of wrong numbers, and a fifth call was answered by someone who didn't know a "John." Her sixth call was answered by a woman's voice. 

"Could I speak to John, please?" Holly responded once the line picked up. 

"Who's calling?" the woman responded. 

Holly jolted, sitting up straight on the bench. "This is Holly. Um, he was supposed to get in touch with me but I haven't heard from him."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "What is this in regards to?"

"This _is_ John Lennon's number, correct?" Holly tried to keep her voice clear and strong. "Please tell him that Holly Graham is trying to reach him. He will know exactly who you're talking about."

There was another pause before Holly heard the words, "One moment."

She sat on the bench nervously bouncing her foot against the ground. It felt like an eternity before another voice came through the phone. 

"Is it really you?"

"John?" Holly knew it was him the second he spoke. Her heart hammered in her chest, floored at finally hearing his voice. 

"Is it really you?" John asked again. 

"Yes! It's me!" Holly stood up and ran out of the park. "Future girl, Christmas telegram, whatever name you need to prove it's me!"

After yet another pause, John finally responded, "Where are you, future girl?"

"I'm standing right outside your building."

 

A/N: The lyrics to the song described in this chapter are modified from John Lennon's unreleased song "Now and Then" (also sometimes called "I Don't Want to Lose You" or "Miss You").


	27. GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE

August 20, 2020

The doorman at the Dakota stepped aside and let Holly through the tall, metal gates. John had called down to the security office and instructed them to let Holly inside. The elevator ride up to the seventh floor felt like eternity, and her heart was racing due to a combination of nervousness and excitement.

Holly had seen recent pictures of John during her internet searches. She had a good idea of what he would look like, but when John opened the door and was suddenly mere feet away from her, Holly was dumbfounded. 

"Well hello, stranger," John said with a warm smile. 

Holly didn't respond for a good thirty seconds. She just stood there staring at John with her mouth hanging open. When she finally managed to find her voice, all she could manage to say was a breathy, "Oh my God..."

John laughed and stepped aside, motioning for Holly to enter. The apartment looked completely different than when Holly was last there. The layout was mostly the same, but the majority of the furniture had been replaced and updated. John made his way to one of the matching microfiber couches and sat down. He laughed again at Holly who stood in the middle of the room looking around. 

"Are you just going to stand there?"

John's voice snapped Holly's attention back to him, and she quickly shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts. 

"I'm sorry," Holly responded. "This is all... just a lot to take in. I was here with you just a couple of weeks ago." She sat down on the couch next to John. "But being here now is... Well, it's..." She looked around the room and then at John. "I guess it's just really obvious that it's been far more than a couple of weeks."

"I look that bad, then?" John joked. 

"Oh, God!" Holly laughed. "No! I didn't mean it like that!"

She looked at John, really taking him in for the first time since she arrived. His hair was a combination of white and gray. It hung down past his ears, loosely parted in the center of his head. Fine lines and wrinkles formed a roadmap on his face, especially around his eyes and mouth. He had a short beard that matched the color of his hair and covered most of the lower half of his face.

As Holly stared at John, he stared right back at her. His eyes squinted behind his round, metal framed glasses. "Damn. You haven't changed at all," he said. "Not even a little."

Still staring at him, Holly replied, "No. I suppose I haven't."

"You must think I'm ancient now," John declared as he touched his own face. 

"I think you're amazing," Holly replied, still taking in his appearance. She saved this man, and it was truly hitting her. "I think you're a fucking miracle is what I think." 

"I wouldn't go that far, future girl," John laughed and crossed his legs. 

"No, it's just... You're here. You're alive." Holly reached out a hand and tentatively touched John's arm. "You're real."

John placed a hand on top of Holly's and smiled. "Well I could say the same thing about you. By this point in my life it's anyone's guess whether the stuff I remember is real or not."

The two sat looking at each other for another minute, neither one saying anything. Holly couldn't stop staring at John's eyes. While he still looked like himself, albeit much older, his eyes were the one thing that was exactly the same as when she last saw him. 

"You've lived an entire life that I don't know about," Holly's voice finally broke through. "When I left you were forty four. You've lived a whole lifetime since then."

"It _has_ been a very long time," John agreed. His eyes looked at Holly warmly and a bit wistfully. 

In that moment an unexpected sadness washed over Holly. As overjoyed as she was to know that John was alive and well, she suddenly realized that this man was somewhat of a stranger. Holly had lost the John she knew so well - the John whose smell, and taste, and touch she had tried so hard to memorize the last time she saw him. Tears began to fill her eyes and spilled over on to her cheeks. 

"What's this?" John asked, surprised by her tears. "Why are you crying?"

Holly quickly wiped her cheeks. She took a deep breath, holding it in and willing the tears to stop. "I'm sorry. Seeing you right now is just a lot more emotional than I thought it would be." She took another deep breath to calm herself. "It's all still so fresh for me. All these decades have passed for you, but I only said goodbye to you less than two weeks ago."

John gave Holly an understanding smile and scooted closer to her on the couch. "You know, I was a damn mess right after you left. To make things better I convinced myself that it would all be fine and you'd show up again in a few years. Like you always did." He looked out into the room, breaking eye contact with Holly for the first time. "Of course, that didn't happen."

"Tell me you've had a good life," Holly urged. "Please tell me you've been happy."

John returned his gaze to her, "I've been happy," he replied. "A lot has happened since I said goodbye to you, and it hasn't all been good. But I've been all right."

"I saw you had a scare with cancer awhile back."

John nodded with a laugh, "I thought I was done for! You know, I really did try to give up smoking after you left, but it took me awhile to do it. But I hadn't touched a cigarette in almost eight years, and then I find out I have fucking lung cancer." He gave a small shake of his head. "All I could think of was what you said to me. And then it hit me that I might not even live long enough to see you again."

"But you did," Holly smiled. "You beat it."

"Yeah. Not before they had to cut me open, though. Took out a chunk of me," he replied, tapping a hand lightly on his chest. 

For the next hour Holly and John sat talking. There were so many things that happened in John's life that Holly didn't know about. Her new memories covered a small portion of things, but didn't come close to filling in all the gaps. 

John described how he and the other three Beatles had reunited again for the Anthology project in 1995. Along with releasing the old songs, they also wrote two new songs for the albums as well. It was after this period that he began experiencing health issues which were ultimately diagnosed as early stage lung cancer less than a year later. 

John also told stories of his collaborations with both of his sons. He produced a few of Julian's albums in the 80's, even adding vocals on a handful of songs. He also did the same with Sean. They ultimately created their own "family owned" record label of sorts, releasing all of Julian's and Sean's albums over the years, along with other artists. 

When George passed away in 2001, John described how he took it the hardest of any of the former bandmates. Having survived his own fight with cancer a few years earlier, seeing his friend succumb to it was extremely hard. As John withdrew and fell into a depression, his marriage to May Pang dissolved rapidly. 

"You married May?" Holly asked. 

John went on to explain how after Holly left, he threw himself deeply into May. She already knew all there was to know about him, including knowing about Holly's true identity from when they met in 1974. This allowed John to talk freely to May about Holly. 

"We were already partly together after me and Yoko split," John explained. "After you left, she was the only thing that felt familiar. I kept telling myself I'd bide my time with her until you came back in a few years. But deep inside I knew that wasn't going to happen."

Their marriage had been comfortable and loving. May had encouraged John to continue to build his relationship with Julian. She'd also played a large part in encouraging John to reunite with Paul, culminating with the first Beatles reunion in 1987. She stuck with John through his battle with cancer, but as he watched his friend and former band mate succumb to it, John became withdrawn and angry. He ended up focusing most of his anger at May since she was the one closest to him. They divorced in 2002. 

Within a year John had remarried. He met a woman named Joanna. She was five years older than John and had relatives in the music industry. The relationship had started as one of convenience for John. He needed a woman in his life in order to feel secure, and Joanna was available and willing. When the marriage began John wasn't in love with her, but as the relationship blossomed he began to grow quite fond of her.

As John spoke about his most recent marriage, a thought dawned on Holly. "Are you still married to her?"

John answered with a slight shake of his head. "She passed away two years ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Holly replied softly. "Who was the woman that answered the phone when I called, then?" Holly looked around, suddenly realizing that it was likely the woman was still here in the apartment. 

"Oh that's Beverly. She's my main housekeeper." Noticing Holly looking around, he added, "I sent her out as soon as I knew you were coming up."

John then went on to tell Holly more about his last marriage, describing his deceased wife as a calm, patient soul. 

"Joanna probably deserved better than anything I ever gave her," John continued with a sad smile. She reminded me a bit of Cyn, actually. She loved me in spite of my bullshit and just sat there waiting for me to figure it out." He laughed, "They're probably both out there in the cosmos talking to each other about what idiots they were to stick by me as long as they did," John continued, referencing Cynthia's death, three years before Joanna's. 

Holly had been listening intently to John, trying to take everything in when she was hit with another wave of sadness. John never truly found love after she left. Or at least he never let himself fully experience it. 

"They're all gone now," John continued. "Julia, Cyn, Yoko, Joanna. And May might not be dead, but I burned that bridge a long time ago."

"Yoko?" Holly asked. 

"Last year. She was 87."

Holly strained to recall if she knew Yoko had passed before her time travel, or if this was some repercussion of changing the timeline. No matter how hard she tried, Holly simply couldn't remember. 

"Every woman I loved is gone. Although I suppose that's what happens once you hit almost eighty." After a short pause John added, "Except for you now. You came back. Although the situation is a bit _different_ ," he waved a hand from his face to hers, indicating the obvious age difference between them. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for pity. But you've been 'the one that got away' for so long that it's hard not to think about that now that you're here again."

"I have to ask," Holly started. "I listened to your song "Now And Then"..."

John smiled and nodded his head, answering Holly's question before she even asked it. "Yes. It was for you. I wrote that a few days after you left, if I remember correctly."

A few quiet moments passed. Holly was still trying to figure out exactly what she was feeling. Her emotions were taking a roller coaster ride, and she was bouncing back and forth between feelings of sadness and joy. She looked over at John, still seated on the couch next to her. She wanted to lean over and hug him - to feel his skin touch hers. But instead she remained still. At 79, the man sitting across from her was old enough to be her grandfather, and Holly was fully conflicted about how to deal with her feelings for him. 

Perhaps sensing her unease, John rested an arm on the back of the couch and patted the cushion directly next to him with his other hand. "Come here, future girl," he said softly. 

Holly scooted over a few inches and leaned into the crook of John's arm, resting her head between his shoulder and his chest. 

"I suppose you aren't really 'future girl' anymore though, are you?" he asked with a chuckle. "Finally back where you belong, yeah?"

"I suppose."

"I followed you, ya know," John said quietly, dropping his hand from the back of the couch onto Holly's shoulder. 

"Followed me?"

"Over the years, I kept track of you," he replied. "For awhile, anyway."

John went on to explain that he stayed away at first. But after five years had passed since Holly left, he realized that she truly wouldn't be coming back. He went out in hopes of finding her, just to see her again, even from a distance. 

"I periodically had my driver take me back to Ridley Park - to the neighborhood where you showed me your childhood home," John described. 

He said he was able to see her a few times - getting off the school bus or riding her bike. He even saw her once with a cast on one arm and was reminded of how Holly told him she would break an arm climbing a tree. 

"I never once spoke to you," John continued, "but I found you... probably ten times over the course of a decade." With a sigh he added, "I had to stop once you grew up and began looking like the Holly I knew. It was too hard to see."

Holly felt tears starting to form behind her eyes again and blinked them away. She had not expected to feel so emotional once she reconnected with John. Perhaps what he was describing was also what she was feeling. Seeing him as an eighty year old was difficult, because while he most certainly was John, he wasn't the same John that she could just fall back into a routine with. 

"You know, I've asked you to stay with me more times than I can count, but this is probably the only time I wouldn't blame you for saying no. I don't plan on dying tomorrow or anything, but I _am_ almost eighty."

With a small chuckle, Holly responded, "I have two weeks of paid vacation right now. I would love to stay with you for a bit."

John laughed, "It figures. The one time you don't fight me about staying is when I'm too old to take advantage of you being here."

Holly continued to laugh along with John. She closed her eyes, still leaning her head on him and feeling his arm around her. She imagined the apartment the way she last saw it. For a moment Holly pretended that the John she was resting against was still the same John who kissed her and held her, and whose body melded so easily with her own. As she imagined those things Holly began to wonder what could have been if she had let John convince her to stay back in 1985.

"I love you, John," Holly whispered. 

"I love you too, future girl," John whispered back.

 

Holly spent the next week with John in his apartment. She was able to fall into his routine, although the relationship between them now more resembled one of an elderly parent and child rather than one of lovers. Holly shared a bed with him at night, as they always had, but she lay there each night fighting an internal battle with herself. Every fiber in her body longed to feel John against her, for him to touch her and kiss her. But the fact that he was now literally twice her age made the prospect of that extremely awkward. So they simply lay there each night, talking, sometimes holding each other, and ultimately falling asleep. 

John had an entire team of assistants and housekeepers, all of whom came in and out of the apartment daily. Beverly was there everyday cooking all the meals, and handling tasks like cleaning, laundry, and general housekeeping. Holly tried to help where she could, but ended up feeling more in the way than anything. She and John spent a lot of time reminiscing about their interactions in the past, both feeling a bit bittersweet about them. 

Sean came to visit his dad while Holly was there. He was now 44, the exact same age John had been when Holly left him in 1985. He was a little skeptical when introduced to Holly. When she excused herself to the kitchen, she overheard Sean grilling his father about Holly and what she was after. Having no idea who she was, Sean was concerned that Holly may be after money or be out to take advantage of John somehow. 

One week easily turned into two weeks with John asking Holly to stay as long as she could. Throughout her time with him, Holly was continually pushing aside feelings that would inevitably pop up. Every time she would close her eyes and hear John talking to her, she would pretend that she was back in 1985 with him. His voice was unchanged, a stark contrast to his appearance, and listening to it made Holly's heart ache. 

At the end of the two weeks Holly had to return home and back to her job. During their goodbyes the pair promised to stay in touch multiple times a week. Holly promised she would come visit John every opportunity she could. John offered to come visit her from time to time as well. 

Holly was silent during the train ride back home. She listened to music through her headphones, intentionally skipping over any of John's songs that happened to play. She wanted to distract herself from the feelings that she had been unable to shake during her entire time with John.

As Holly tried to get settled back home the music on her phone shuffled from song to song. Intending to do laundry, she emptied the contents of her travel bag onto her bed. Not paying attention to what song was coming next, she was suddenly bombarded by John's voice in her ears. Holly suddenly began to sob, unable to stop the tears from cascading down her face. 

_My life, take it_  
_It's mine to give, take it_  
_Let me live in you_  
_My life, take it, it's yours_  
_Do what you will_  
_I dedicate it to you._

_What's the use in waking_  
_If you're not there to share the_  
_Dreams and nightmares?_

_My life, take it_  
_For better or worse_  
_Why waste time?_  
_We both know together is the only way we'll make it_  
_Any way, take it, my life_  
_My life is you_

Holly knew this was another song John had written for her. In the months after she left for the final time, John had tried to make use of his feelings by turning them into songs. He ended up writing an entire album's worth, which then went on to become the _Time Traveling UFOs_ album. After he told Holly about this, she had downloaded the album to her phone with the intention of listening to it at a later time.

"I have to go back," Holly mumbled to herself as tears still streamed down her cheeks.

With those words, Holly took a deep breath to calm herself. She picked up her cell phone and called Tyler. He answered after three rings. 

"Hey, you! How was your vacation time?"

Holly ignored his question, "You have to help me."

Sounding slightly concerned, Tyler responded, "Whats going on? Are you okay?"

"I have to go back."

"Go back where?" Tyler questioned. 

"You have to help me go back to 1985."

 

A/N: The lyrics mentioned in this chapter are from John Lennon's unreleased song "My Life."


	28. GET BACK

September 3, 2020

Tapping a plastic straw on the table, Holly looked around the restaurant for any sign of Tyler. After her frantic phone call an hour earlier, Holly had convinced him to meet her at a nearby diner. She was obviously in far more of a hurry than Tyler was because she had been sitting at the table for a good twenty minutes, waiting. 

"Sorry about that," Tyler apologized, sliding into the booth seat opposite of Holly. "Mike was in the middle of a conference call and I couldn't just leave the kids."

"It's fine." Holly brushed aside the crinkled straw wrapper she had been distracting herself with. 

"Now _what_ is going on with you? You were making absolutely no sense on the phone."

Over the course of two hours, Holly attempted to explain everything to Tyler. They sat in the diner, both munching on appetizers, while Holly divulged her secrets one at a time. She detailed her time jumps and explained how her relationship with John had grown into something greater than either of them could have ever predicted. 

She told Tyler about her visit to see John in this time period, and how they both felt lost. By the time Holly finally ran out of words, Tyler had ordered a gin and tonic and was rubbing his temples. 

"You _do_ realize that everything you're wanting to do is so utterly _beyond_ illegal, right?" Tyler finally responded. "I mean, what we did was bad enough, but what _you're_ talking about..." he shook his head and took a sip of his drink, unable to finish his thought. 

"I know. I _know_ ," Holly acknowledged. "Really, I do. But to me it's a risk worth taking. I can't possibly make you understand this overwhelming _need_ I have right now." She paused for a second, thinking. "Imagine if Mike was somehow sent away somewhere you weren't able to go. Wouldn't you do _anything_ to get to him?"

Tyler's only response was a raised eyebrow. Finally, he replied, "So... you're trying to equate my relationship with my husband - whom I've been with for eight years and have two children with - to the relationship you somehow built with a famous musician over the course of a few weeks?" He raised his glass to his lips again and drank. 

"No!" Holly said exasperatedly. "Look, I know this sounds ridiculous. I _know_."

"And what exactly do you plan to do, assuming you even figure out a way to go back?" Tyler asked. "Just stay there forever?"

"Basically," Holly nodded. 

Tyler blinked in utter disbelief at Holly's naiveté. "No," Tyler said. "Just no. You already exist in that time period. What you're talking about is _so_ unbelievably dangerous."

"Listen, just hear me out," Holly pleaded. "You're the one who was interested in seeing how changing events in the timeline affected the current time. You _knew_ it was an avenue that needed to be explored. Now that time travel is a legitimate thing, perhaps what I'm asking isn't that crazy."

Tyler stared at Holly. "How so?"

"Well, time travel exists now. Right?"

Tyler nodded. 

"So, perhaps that means going back and living in another timeline isn't all that crazy," Holly continued. "No one really thought about the possibility of living in outer space or traveling to other planets until space exploration exploded and suddenly all those things _became_ possible."

Considering her words, Tyler chewed on his bottom lip. "That's an interesting point."

"I don't have anyone really tying me to this time," Holly explained. "I'm single."

"What about your parents?" Tyler asked. 

"Well," Holly bit her lip while thinking. "Honestly, they probably wouldn't be too surprised if I had to 'disappear' for awhile. They know not to ask questions anymore with me working for the CIA. I'm sure I'd have to come up with something to explain my long term absence to my friends and coworkers... but think about it, Tyler. All the documents I need to go back were made already - birth certificate, passport, everything. I just need your help to access them from the vault and then make the jump."

The pair sat talking for another hour. Although he had reservations, Tyler ultimately agreed to help Holly with her plan, but only with the caveat that he would not take the fall for her. If things got too tricky or dangerous he would back out. 

They spent weeks planning and gathering items, both meeting periodically to discuss their progress. Tyler confirmed that he had access to the vault where all the items Holly traveled back in time with were catalogued and stored. Holly began the process of shutting down her life in the current time period - tying up lose ends like paying off credit card bills so that no one would be left to cover any of her expenses. 

As she went about her days, going to work and making all outward appearances of normalcy, Holly also kept in regular contact with John. She made the decision not to let him know about her plan until she was sure that she would be able to accomplish it. 

One weekend, just shy of two months after her return to 2020, Holly made the trip to see John in New York again. She spent two days with him in the Dakota. During this visit John pulled out a manila envelope buried deep within a drawer in his bedroom, and handed it to Holly. 

"You should have this," John said as he handed it to her. 

With a puzzled look, Holly took the envelope. "What's this?"

"Open it."

She lifted the flap and felt around inside, retrieving a square Polaroid picture from within it. She looked at the photo and brought a hand to her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. 

The white boarder around the photo was yellowed a bit, and the picture itself was a little crinkled, but Holly held in her hand the only photograph ever taken of herself and John. She stared at the small square, taking it all in. She looked at her smiling face staring back at her and then looked at John's. His forty four year old face was partially in profile, turned to look at Holly next to him, a grin pulling up the corner of his mouth as he gazed at her. 

"You should have it," John repeated. "I wouldn't want someone else getting their hands on it once I'm not around anymore."

"I forgot we even took this," Holly marveled, unable to take her eyes off the photograph. 

"It's been hidden in that drawer for thirty five years." John sat down on the bed, patting the bedside table where he retrieved the envelope. "I would pull it out from time to time and look at it, especially in those first few months after you left. The phone number you wrote down is in there too."

Holly looked at the younger version of John in the picture and then at the seventy nine year old man seated in front of her on the bed. She joined him, sitting down on the edge of the mattress. 

"I should have stayed, shouldn't I?"

John reached over and lightly touched the two faces in the picture with his index finger. "Ask them," he replied, tapping the photograph.

Holly looked back down at the smiling faces and remembered how John had convinced her to take the picture; how he had hugged her one last time afterwards and whispered yet another plea for her stay. 

"If I could go back, would you want me to?" Holly asked. 

John turned his head and looked directly at Holly. "What kind of question is that? Of course I would. How many times did I try and get you to stay?"

Even though the logistics weren't fully completed yet, Holly decided to let John in on her plan. 

"I've been thinking," she began, "maybe I made a mistake. I've been trying to figure out a way to go back. I think I might be able to do it."

"Are you serious?" John asked. 

Nodding, Holly continued, "I have all the documents I would need to go back and stay there. The biggest issue is figuring out how to keep a low profile and never get mixed up with the younger version of myself that already exists there."

John laughed. "There's no such thing as a 'low profile' if you're connected to me." In a more serious tone he added, "But if you're serious about this, I know you could make it work."

When Holly returned home from her weekend with John, she checked in with Tyler. The team that sent Holly on her mission was already in the planning process for the next project. Because of this, Tyler still had full access to the lab and all its machinery. Tests and diagnostics were being regularly run, sometimes with only one or two people present. The pair decided that their best bet for sending Holly back would be under the pretense of these regular tests; sneaking Holly into the lab and using Tyler's tech skills to bypass security monitoring. 

"What about you?" Tyler asked, while he and Holly sat watching Tyler's kids play at the park. "Have you figured out how you're just going to disappear?"

"Well, I was trying to avoid it, but I'm afraid I may have to make it look like a death. That's really the cleanest break. Nothing left to question."

"And how do you plan on 'dying' without leaving a body behind?" Tyler questioned. 

"Suicide," Holly replied simply. 

Tyler looked at Holly. "Seriously?"

"I know, I know," Holly replied. "I know it's stupid. It's cliche."

"How do you plan to 'kill' yourself?"

"I'll leave a note explaining I did it. Couldn't live in this world any longer. I'll say that I'm walking out into the river and letting the water be my grave."

Tyler rolled his eyes. "So melodramatic."

Holly laughed. "Look, whether the authorities try and find my body or not, it won't matter. People disappear. That's a fact."

Tyler shook his head silently. "I better not get tied to any of this. I swear..."

"You won't. I promise."

Tyler threw his hands up in the air. "Fine."

 

By the following week Holly had her plan ready to set in motion. She made a final visit to John to explain what she was about to do. She also needed to explain what would happen if things didn't go according to plan. If caught, Holly would be facing some of the heaviest charges possible. It would be unlikely she would ever see the outside of a prison cell, in which case John would never see her again. 

"You're willing to risk all of that just to go back?" John asked her. 

"Well it's really no different than what you were asking when you begged me to stay with you. If I had stayed, it would have been just as risky as what I'm doing now. The team would have ultimately realized it. They would have started a recovery mission to bring me back or find out what happened to me," Holly explained. "I could have ended up in prison then, too." 

That evening as Holly was preparing to leave John's apartment, she gave him a final hug. "This isn't goodbye."

John chuckled as he returned the hug. "If there's anything I've learned about you, future girl, it's to expect anything. It's never been 'goodbye' has it?"

"No, it hasn't."

 

On the evening of October 4th Holly and Tyler put their plan into action. It was a Sunday, which meant that the offices were sparsely populated. Hidden between large, bulky pieces of equipment covered in tarp, Holly held on to the dolly while Tyler rolled her down the hallway into the lab. He had already made some adjustments to the security cameras that monitored the rooms and hallways of the building. He looped footage of empty areas while they walked through them which enabled them to hide in plain sight. 

Once in the laboratory that housed the time machine labeled T14R19, Holly emerged from her hiding place. She had a small bag containing the identification items along with some money that Tyler had procured from the vault. She placed a hand inside the bag, feeling around for the envelope John had given her. 

"You're positive this is what you want?" Tyler asked. "There's no changing your mind once it's done."

Holly pulled out the Polaroid picture from the envelope just enough to look at John's face. 

"Yes," she nodded, "I'm absolutely positive."

Making her way to the enclosed area where the standing pad was located Holly returned the photo to the envelope, and slid it back inside her bag. She looked through the glass partition at Tyler who was busy setting levels on the other side of the room. 

"I think you're absolutely insane," Tyler said, his voice now coming through the speakers. "But I'm gonna miss you."

Holly smiled. "I'm gonna miss you, too. Please give Mike and the kids a hug for me."

"Of course," Tyler nodded, looking up from the control panel. "Well, I'm ready if you are." 

"I'm ready," Holly replied and stepped on to the glass pad. 

Tyler looked at Holly for a moment and the two shared a smile across the room. He lifted a hand and gave a small wave which Holly returned silently, and then he looked back down at the control pad. 

Holly closed her eyes and clutched her bag tightly, picturing in her mind the photograph housed inside it. Soon her vision was full of familiar colorful swirls. Her smile grew wider and wider as the feeling of warmth overtook her body one last time.


	29. (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER

••••  
_All my little plans and schemes_  
_Gone like some forgotten dreams_  
_Seems that all I really was doing_  
_Was waiting for you_  
••••

June 30, 1985

Her eyes still closed, Holly took a long, deep breath. She smelled the briny saltiness of the air. She wasn't sure of her exact location on the narrow strip of land, but Holly knew she was somewhere on Long Island. Looking around, she saw that she had materialized in a marshy, wooded area next to a narrow creek. 

It didn't take Holly long to make her way to a residential road, and from there she was able to find a local restaurant with a pay phone. Inside the phone booth, Holly grinned at the sight of the plastic-encased phonebook dangling from the phone by a thick chain. 

"I haven't seen one of those since high school," Holly marveled. 

She found the number to a local taxi company, and then stood outside the phone booth waiting for her ride. It took fifteen minutes for the taxi to arrive, and then just under an hour before Holly was in Manhattan.

To save herself the frustration of sitting through gridlocked traffic, Holly had the cab driver let her off at the lower corner of Central Park, right next to the Plaza Hotel. From there she made her way to the Upper West Side, deciding to wander through the walking paths of the Park instead of going around it. 

It took Holly almost twenty minutes, only getting lost once in the twists and turns of the pathways, until she recognized the section of the park that she knew as Strawberry Fields. The Dakota building loomed tall in the background. Holly paused and looked around, realizing once again that the iconic mosaic was absent. With a small smirk she shook her head, still marveling at the fact that she had saved John and changed history. 

Her watch read 4:24 PM as Holly crossed the street and walked towards the entrance gates of the Dakota. Having only been two weeks in this time period since she left John, the doormen outside, and the concierge at the security desk still recognized her. They allowed her inside with no hassle. 

Holly chose to return to this date for a number of reasons. At first she thought it might be smart to return to the day she originally left John, but she soon changed her mind. Holly wanted to give him some time to miss her; allow John to feel the loss. That way when she surprised him by coming back the reunion would be that much more joyous.

As she approached the seventh floor in the elevator, Holly felt her pulse begin to quicken. She wasn't sure if John would be home, but she didn't want to call ahead and ruin the surprise. She wanted to see firsthand what John's expression would be when he saw her. 

The hallway was quiet when Holly stepped out of the elevator and walked towards John's apartment. She knocked three times and waited, straining to hear any noise from the other side of the door. A few seconds later the metallic clink of the door unlocking caused Holly to take a deep breath and smile. The door opened. 

"Yes? Can I help you?"

Holly's smile quickly changed to an expression of surprise. "Oh my God!" She exclaimed. 

"Can I help you?" 

"May! Do you remember me?" Holly asked. 

The surprise of seeing May Pang on the other side of the doorway quickly vanished. Holly remembered John telling her in 2020 how he had clung tightly to May in the days and weeks after Holly left, holding on to the familiarity she brought. May looked a bit older than when Holly last saw her, but she was still easily recognizable as herself. 

"Do I know you?" May's eyebrows were furrowed, her mind trying to place Holly's face. 

"In LA? With John?" Holly hinted. "John trusted you with a pretty big secret about me."

May's eyes widened as she suddenly realized who Holly was. "Oh my gosh, you! Yes, I _do_ remember." She stepped backwards. "Please, come in."

Holly walked through the apartment and was greeted by familiar scenery - the kitchen table where she had watched Sean do homework and the window on the far wall where she had people-watched early in the morning with John's arms around her.  

"Does John know you're here?" May asked, bringing Holly out of her memories and into the present. "He won't be back for a few hours, but he didn't say anything about you being here." She paused for a beat, "Although he _has_ been in a bit of a distant mood lately so he could've forgotten to mention it."

"Oh, well he doesn't know, actually," Holly answered as she followed May farther into the living room. "I was just here not too long ago, but this particular visit is a bit of a surprise."

Holly sat down on the couch. She was suddenly hit with a flashback of all the things she and John did on that piece of furniture during her previous visit to 1985. Memories of sitting straddled behind John, resting her head on his back while he sang "Mucho Mungo" mingled with the memories of her straddling him in a much more intimate way - all on that very same couch. 

"Would you like some tea or coffee?" May asked. "Or something to eat?"

"Tea might be nice," Holly responded, pushing aside the memories. 

For the next couple of hours Holly and May sat and talked. At first May seemed a bit hesitant to say anything more than idle chit chat, but she soon eased into a line of questioning involving the secrets Holly and John had shared with her. 

Being unaware of just how much information John might have given her over the years, Holly was slow to delve into much detail with May. She gave somewhat vague answers, doling out small details here or there, and made sure not to mention how she changed the events in December of 1980. 

"I have to ask," Holly stated. "You never mentioned any of this to anyone else, did you?"

May looked at her across the kitchen table where they had recently moved in order to snack on some food.

"No, of course not!" May exclaimed. "John made me promise, and so did you. No one would have believed me anyway." She paused and gave a small laugh. "It's like when we saw that damned UFO. Everyone thought we were insane - drugged up and hallucinating - but it was real."

Holly chuckled, remembering reading the story of how John claimed to have seen a UFO in the skies of New York City in August of 1974. May was with him that night, and also claimed to have seen it. There were numerous others in the city that evening that reported seeing something odd in the skies as well.

A few minutes after 7:00 PM the sound of a key being pushed into the doorknob interrupted the conversation between Holly and May. Holly's heartbeat jumped into her throat, and a sudden jolt of adrenaline shot through her as she sat frozen at the kitchen table. She heard the door open, then close. 

"May, you're not going to fucking believe..." John's voice trailed off as he walked into the kitchen. He stood completely still, his mouth still open in the shape of his last word, staring at Holly. 

"Surprise?" Holly blurted out in a questioning tone. She stood up from her seat at the table, keeping her eyes on John the entire time. 

"Jesus-fucking-Christ," John finally exclaimed. "You're here?!" he asked as he walked into the kitchen and up to Holly, standing directly in front of her. "You came back?!"

Holly looked up into John's brown eyes and nodded. He placed his hands on her shoulders, touching her as if testing whether she was truly there or just a figment of his imagination. When he got his answer John pulled her tightly into his body and hugged her fiercely. Holly returned the hug, closing her eyes and breathing in his familiar scent as she leaned her head onto his shoulder. 

Still holding on to John, Holly opened her eyes and saw May watching them from across the kitchen table. Suddenly she felt self conscious. Holly released from the hug, very aware that May currently viewed herself as John's girlfriend. 

"I should let you two catch up," May finally said, ending the awkward moment. She began to clear the plates off the table that she and Holly had been using, and took them to the sink. 

"Give me a sec," John whispered to Holly. 

Nodding, Holly stepped aside and walked into the living room, leaving John and May alone. She wasn't able to hear anything being said in the kitchen, but ten minutes later the sound of the front door opening and closing signaled to Holly that May had likely left. Her guess was confirmed when John then walked into the living room alone. 

"You came back," he stated quietly, standing across the room from Holly. 

"I did."

"Why?"

Holly patted the cushion next to her on the couch, motioning for John to join her. He sat down, and reached out to touch her again, this time running a hand along her hairline and pushing a strand behind her ear. 

"I came back because I had to," Holly replied. 

John scrunched up his face. "You _had_ to? They sent you back for something?"

With a laugh, Holly shook her head. "No, John. _I_ had to," she repeated the words, changing the emphasis. "I had to come back." 

John's expression didn't change. He still didn't understand what Holly was trying to tell him. 

"I came back for _you_ , John. I just spent a few months in 2020 realizing that I made an awful mistake."

Holly went on to tell John about the events that occurred once she returned to her time. About how she met the 79 year old version of him and was shattered with the realization that she missed out on his life. About how she realized, far too late, that she deeply loved him and never should have left him. 

The entire time Holly spoke, John's hands were on her, running fingers up and down her arm, squeezing her knee, brushing her hair back behind her ear again, all while intently listening to her words. He smiled as he listened, and when Holly finally stopped talking John leaned forward and kissed her, weaving his fingers through the hair at the back of her head. 

"You may have just spent months in your time, future girl," John pointed out, breaking away from the kiss, "but it's only been two weeks since you left here."

With a small smile, Holly nodded. The complicated intricacies of time travel were certainly not lost on her, and she was impressed that John was able to keep up with it all. 

"Two weeks, two months, two years," John continued, "either way it was too long."

John leaned in again to kiss Holly, this time pressing her down into the couch cushion behind her. The room seemed to close in on them, and soon clothes were being removed and touches were becoming more desperate. Holly pushed John away just far enough to slide off the couch. Dressed in only her bra and panties she walked towards the hallway. John was right on her heels, following her into the bedroom.

 

"What did you tell May?" Holly asked, resting her head on John's bare chest. 

They were laying in bed, both naked, having spent the last hour reuniting with each other in such a way that left them sweaty and breathless. 

John gave a small shrug which lifted Holly's head with it. "I told her I needed some time with you, and I'd talk to her later."

Propping herself up with an elbow, Holly looked at John. "Will she be okay?"

John didn't answer immediately. After a moment he turned to look into Holly's eyes. "Is this for good?" he asked. "Are you really staying?"

With a nod and a smile Holly told John how she left her life behind in 2020. She told him how Tyler had helped her come back, along with the story of how Tyler had been the one that helped Holly save John in the first place. 

"This Tyler fellow sounds like someone who deserves a 'thank you'," John observed. 

"Yes," Holly agreed. "Although I'm afraid that won't be possible for a few decades."

 

The following weeks were filled with happiness, but also filled with planning. Holly had to begin the process of living in a time where she already existed without causing problems for the younger version of herself. 

The first step was altering her appearance enough that she would not be immediately recognizable. If Holly stayed with John, which she had every intention of doing, she would ultimately be photographed, interviewed, and have her life in the public eye. 

One week after returning to John, Holly dyed her hair a brilliant blonde, and had it cut into a short bob. In the months following that, she went under the knife twice for cosmetic surgery to change the shape her nose, cheekbones, and chin. None of these things made her completely unrecognizable, but they did alter her appearance enough that she felt comfortable being photographed.

 

John and Holly got married a year after she returned to 1985. They had a small, private ceremony in their apartment on the one year anniversary of Holly's return. Sean and Julian were both present, as well as Rosaura, Helen, and Fred. Yoko and Sam Havadtoy also popped in to witness the vows, much to Holly's surprise. 

Over the course of the year preceding the marriage Yoko and John had continued their legal battles, finally coming to an agreement thanks to their lawyers. Yoko wasn't completely happy with the final settlement, but she signed the papers and was given quite a generous deal in terms of how the estate was divided. After everything was finalized, and most of her leverage over John had been taken away, Yoko became a much more pleasant person to be around. 

 

In the years following their marriage, John continued to write and record music. He also got back into writing poetry and drawing. In 1988 he published a set of short stories and illustrations very reminiscent of his earlier books published during his time as a Beatle. 

With Holly's knowledge of John's upcoming cancer scare, she was able to warn him early enough to prevent the need for part of his lung to be removed. She also urged John to speak to George in hopes of possibly saving George's life. John used his own experiences with cancer to warn George about the importance of checkups and screenings. While George was able to catch his own cancer early and made a full recovery from it, he ultimately passed away from a bout of pneumonia in January of 2002; his immune system having been weakened from the cancer treatments. 

Over the decades their marriage was certainly not always easy. John's temper had lessened as he aged, but he still had a short fuse. Holly was often on the receiving end of his sharp tongue, but she took it in stride and simply disengaged with John when his temper got the best of him. Ultimately he would always calm down and come back full of apologies and remorse.

Through John, Holly learned the ins and outs of the music business. She joined John as a producer, working in the studios with him and other artists. She also helped him to create his own label with his two sons. 

Holly would occasionally be hit with pangs of sadness, missing parts of her old life, especially certain people. She often thought about Tyler and wondered what his life was like after she disappeared from it. Even with those occasional thoughts, Holly never once regretted her decision to return to John. 

The pair grew old together, still living in the Dakota, and they often reminisced about the unbelievable circumstances that brought them together. They would occasionally pull out the small pair of identical Polaroid pictures - the original one that John kept, and the older version that Holly brought back with her - and they would both smile. 

Throughout the decades that John and Holly spent together, Holly's secret was never revealed to anyone other than those who already knew it. Holly's set of fake identification documents, combined with John's wealth, afforded her the luxury of never being questioned about her past. No one seemed to bat an eye at her lack of family or background. All in all, Holly and John lived a happy life, growing into old age together. 

However, once they approached the date of Holly's original time jump, she knew there was one more thing she needed to do.

 

A/N: John's song "Real Love" wasn't mentioned in this chapter, but I included it because I feel like the song fits quite well for John and Holly's journey together.


	30. BLESS YOU

October 17, 2020

A knock on the door interrupted Tyler from the program playing on the television. He looked down at his watch which displayed the time - 8:56 PM. 

It was a Saturday, and Tyler was alone in his house. Mike and their kids were visiting family for the weekend but Tyler was unable to join them due to work constraints. 

"Who the hell...?" he mumbled to himself as he stood from the couch. 

Another set of knocks came from the door before Tyler was able to reach it. 

"Jesus Christ, I'm coming, all right?" he continued to mumble. He reached for the doorknob, expecting to see the face of a neighbor or perhaps even a coworker. 

Once the door was fully opened, Tyler stood staring at the stranger in front of him. He raised his eyebrows, expecting the stranger to speak. 

"Can I help you?" Tyler asked once he realized that the stranger was remaining silent.

"Tyler," the old woman said with a warm smile. 

"Yes?"

"It's me," she continued. "Holly."

Tyler's jaw dropped and the blood drained from his face. He squinted his eyes and examined the elderly woman standing in front of him. Surely this couldn't be his friend that he watched disappear from the lab only two weeks earlier. 

"Holly...?" Tyler stuttered. 

With a nod, Holly confirmed his suspicions. "Can I come inside?"

Tyler stepped backwards, allowing the 74 year old version of his friend to walk inside. He watched her as she made her way into the house, still trying to understand what was happening. 

"I wanted to come see you to let you know that I was okay." Holly explained as she sat down in the living room. "I wanted you to know that I made it back to John. I also wanted to thank you for everything you did for me."

Tyler sat down in a plush chair opposite Holly, unable to respond to what he was hearing. He stared at the woman across from him. Her hair was fully white and it was long and flowy, coming down past her shoulders - a stark contrast to the "typical" short hairstyle that he saw on most older women. Her face was lined with wrinkles, and although she was wearing makeup, the lines were too deep to be concealed. 

As Tyler stared, Holly sat quietly staring back at him, allowing him to examine her. 

"John wanted to come with me to thank you as well, but I didn't think that would be smart," Holly mused, breaking the silence. "We just wanted you to know that I was okay and that we're grateful for all you did to help bring us back together."

Holly stayed visiting Tyler for an hour, and then had to leave. Her driver was waiting in the car outside Tyler's home to transport her back to New York. 

"This is my number," Holly said, placing a small sheet of paper into Tyler's hand. "I don't think it's safe for us to meet in person again. I wouldn't want to jeopardize your career any more. But perhaps we can keep in touch. Just please know that you did the right thing and I'm indebted to you forever."

And with that, 74 year old Holly slipped out the front door, returning to her life in New York and leaving Tyler to process all that just happened. He looked down at the paper in his hand and then looked out the small window next to his front door. Tyler couldn't help but smile as he watched Holly climb into the car and drive away.


End file.
